“Dance with me,” he said, capturing her hand.
“I guess I could, but only for twelve minutes.”
His smile brightened the room.
They danced. Slowly. Pressed together with his hand riding low on her back, but there was nothing sexual in his embrace. Nothing that would be inappropriate in front of her niece as she drew pictures of castles and butterflies.
“She’s a very sweet little girl.”
Zoe closed her eyes and leaned against his broad chest. “Thanks for letting me get my work done.”
A chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Mmm-hmm. I got your number, love.”
Glancing over at the table to make sure her niece was still occupied, Zoe lifted her chin to look at the man holding her. “No, you don’t. I changed it, remember, and I’m not giving it out.”
“Really?” he murmured and pulled her close again, his breath hot against her hair. “You know, I actually like the whole family thing we’re doing.”
“I do this a lot. As in all the time.”
“Trying to scare me away?” He stroked her cheek. “I’ve endured worse than a loving family bent on keeping their sister safe.”
The reminded of just how loving his family could be, had her sucking in a breath. She pushed at his chest. “Let me go.”
He tightened his arms around her. “Never. And I want a family. Kids. The white picket fence which you already have and a muscle car in the drive.”
“Are you being cruel on purpose?”
He put his mouth to her ear. “No, I’m trying to tempt you to stay with me. So I can give you what you want.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean a word of it.”
“While I’m completely serious.”
“Me, too,” SmithAnn shouted, wriggling between them.
Christian laughed, let Zoe go and scooped the toddler up in his arms. “Okay, Me Too. Let’s dance.”
Hands shaking, Zoe tried to concentrate on dinner, but all she could think about was his words, seemingly sincere.
Utterly deadly to her resolve.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Bullshit.” Carter looked pointedly at Christian. He took a quick swallow of beer, setting the glass down on the table and leaning back his chair.
Muttering under his breath, Christian grabbed the large pile of cards in the middle of the table and added them to his hand. This was getting bloody ridiculous. They were playing with two decks and he held the majority of the cards. “How in the hell did you know that I was lying? I make my living from acting.”
Carter gave him an enigmatic smile. “I have my ways.”
“Your turn, Z.” Melanie said.
Zoe pulled some cards and placed them face down on the table. “Three sevens.” She took a sip of water, elbowing Melanie in the process. “Sorry.”
“Watch those bony things!” Melanie quickly put down her own. “One eight.”
On and on it in went in rapid succession, until Christian finally realized that something wasn’t right. Someone or ones were cheating. Amazingly enough, everyone had exactly what needed to be played next. No matter what the damn card was.
He glanced at Zoe, who was concentrating on her remaining cards, with tears in her eyes. And it wasn’t from crying.
She was silently laughing. At him.
Christian looked around the large table and realized that they all were. He threw his cards down and held up his hands in mock surrender. “I give up.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“Bloody good show, mate,” Heath said, making Christian roll his eyes. If he heard one more jab at his accent, he would start doing some impressions of his own.
Logan laughed like a deranged hyena. “I’ve never seen someone go that long before. You were so determined to win, but you couldn’t figure out why no one was calling Bullshit on anyone else. Carter put down eight cards when he said two. Eight. Even Zoe was lying through her teeth and trust me, she’s a dead giveaway.”
“Gee thanks, Logan.” Zoe threw her cards at him.
“Sorry, Z, but you suck at bluffing. You get too excited.” Logan wiped his eyes.
“But I was quiet the whole time,” Zoe protested, her nose wrinkling.
“You always hold your breath and wiggle around when you get really excited.” Christian winked at her. “Only I’m too polite to call you on it.” He wanted to make her pass out with excitement. Now. Would it be rude to insist that they make an early departure?
Zoe’s cheeks heated. “Then I must hyperventilate and have ants in my pants when I’m around you.”
“Really, love?” Christian gave her a wicked grin.
His wife’s cheeks turned scorching red and her eyes rounded. “That’s not what I meant. What I mean is that I must turn blue and... no…that’s not it either. Well, crap.”
“I know he’s not talking about what I think he’s talking about,” Luke muttered to Logan and Carter.
All three of them glared at him.
Heath nodded, ignoring his brothers’ exchange. “It was priceless, bro.”
“Well, it’s been fun torturing the new guy, but I think it’s time the men went to Poor Boy’s,” Logan said. He stood and fished a set of keys out of his pocket. “Want to come, Ian—Christian? What is your name?”
Christian took his time piling up the stack of cards. For all intents and purposes these card sharks were his new family. It seemed wrong to ask them to call him by his stage name, but he’d give them the choice. “I’ll answer to either.”
“But what do you prefer?” Evangeline asked.
At least he knew she was on his side. She would direct message him on Twitter, giving him helpful insights about Zoe and what she liked. For nearly two weeks, he’d done everything he could think of to earn her trust and love. But the harder he worked, the more she pulled away. Except when he touched her, then she’d come undone in his arms, giving him her body and frustrating him to no end, because he needed more from her.
He needed everything.
“Call me—”
“Dipshit?” Luke suggested.
“Wanker.”
“Punkface.”
“Numbnuts is my favorite.”
“Hey, no fair, you can’t go twice, Heath,” Evangeline protested.
“I vote for eunuch.”
“Not at the dinner table, Luke. That kind of behavior belongs outside.”Christian didn’t know if he should be impressed or scared by Zoe’s mother’s suggestion.