Tell Me You Want Me (Search and Seduce, #2)(45)

“The boutique’s really not doing that—”

Her father looked down at her. “That badly? Honey, you know I’ve been keeping tabs on the shop. I don’t need to see the bills to know you’re six months from closing.”

“Then you know I still have time.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Part of being responsible is knowing when to fold.” Her father looked around her shop. “You’ve got a losing hand here, sweetie. Shut down and walk away with your head held high. Before you have to walk away in shame.”

Pain sliced through her chest. All of a sudden she felt like she was drowning. She’d jumped from a helicopter into a bad situation, except this time, there was no one there to pull her out. Not even Dex. She’d made sure of that.

Because if she did ask for help? If she couldn’t do this on her own?

Then she’d already lost.



Dex still couldn’t believe the text Michelle had sent him.

Michelle: I can’t come tonight. Something came up. I’m sorry.

He’d sent her a text back immediately. But she hadn’t responded. What had gone wrong? Why had she canceled?

Now it was taking everything he had in him not to send another text. Hell, not to go straight to her place and find out what could have made her cancel her appointment. It wasn’t his business. She wasn’t his woman. And he wasn’t her keeper. She could blow him off for a good, bad, or no reason at all if she wanted. And there was nothing he could do about it.

Which was why he spent the evening calibrating the GPS system and walking through the woods. He needed to do something. Keep his brain and body going, otherwise he’d think too much about Michelle.

He was set to train an actual class of people two towns over tomorrow. All he was waiting on was his last hour to get recertified. But surely Gage would clear him. Otherwise he’d have to go teach the survival training class instead of Dex. And honestly, wanting to be with Michelle hadn’t been about training in a while.

Still, recertification or not, he wanted his last hour with her.

After a few hours, he was ready for a beer. He brushed off his jeans, figuring he wasn’t too dirty to head to Chloe’s bar and meet East for a drink.

He checked his cell. Michelle hadn’t text or called since their last exchange hours ago.

Something came up…

Damn it, he hated this feeling. Wanting to be with her but knowing he couldn’t. He’d gone so far as to think about what he could actually offer her. Assuming he tried to turn this into more than a training session.

Would she still want him? For more than just sex and the games they played?

He was starting to convince himself he was ready to find out. Maybe he could try for more. Actually date her. Claim her. And have her claim him.

Or he could be dreaming.

He parked his truck and walked into Chloe’s bar. East was sitting at the counter. The restaurant was his favorite place to hang out since one, his friend owned it, and two, it was an old historic mansion renovated into a bar and grill of sorts. Around the corner was a small cupcake shop in what could have been the old study when this was a house. It was unique and a staple of his small town, and he loved it.

“Hey, man, I thought the GPS calibrations were supposed to help you get found, not lost,” East said, looking Dex up and down. Yeah, he was a little dirty, but not bad.

“I’m here, so it works just fine.”

East nodded. Dex sat next to him at the bar and had a beer in hand within the minute.

“Your girl didn’t show up?” East asked.

“She’s not my girl yet, and no, she had something come up.”

“Did you just say ‘yet’?” East asked with a wide smile.

Christ, had he? He had. She’s not my girl yet.

“Yeah, I guess I did.”

“Well look at you, going for the prom queen. It’s about time.”

Dex always did have a thing for the too popular, too pretty, too far out of reach woman, and that’s exactly what Michelle was. But for some reason, she felt within reach. Just enough to get his hopes up.

“About time?” Dex said. “I’ve only known the girl for a couple weeks.”

“Yeah, but you like her and have spent most of your time not doing much about it.”

East was supportive in his own way, but he also knew where Dex came from and how he grew up. He knew what women used him for, so it was weird he’d been on Michelle’s side from the beginning.

“She’s different,” Dex admitted. Yeah, she might be the type he should stay away from, but she was also his type. She was unique and herself and made him feel like he was more, or at least had the potential to be.

“Why don’t you tell her that yourself.” East nodded at something over Dex’s shoulder. He turned and saw Michelle getting up from a corner table across the way with two other people.

She was there. Having dinner with…he assumed that based on the clothes, age, and general wealth oozing from, they were her parents.

So that’s what had come up.

He stood and walked her way. When was only five feet away, her gaze met his from across the restaurant. She didn’t look happy to see him. She looked shocked.

“Dex?” she asked. “What are you doing here?”