Chapter Four
Evander certainly wasn’t joking.
He wanted to make all Callie’s dreams come true.
To erase her past, the pain, and the regrets.
God, the girl was only twenty-one and had her whole life ahead of her.
She shouldn’t be so eager to throw in the towel already.
If she wanted to help dogs, he’d be the first in line to help her get started.
“Is there no Mrs. Evander?”
He liked that she was asking about his love life. It meant she was thinking of him as more than a guardian angel. At least he hoped.
“No. If there was, you wouldn’t be here.”
She took pause for a moment. “Interesting. Does that mean you’re a faithful man? They seem a rarity. Especially at Guy’s Titties.”
“You could bet your life on it.”
He stared at her, daring her to question his answer. Evander only had eyes for Callie, her and her alone. There was nothing in common between him and the lowlifes who frequented the strip club where she used to work.
“I’m surprised you’re not married, or at least taken. I mean, your home is breathtaking and you seem to have a lot to offer,” she said.
“I’m not looking for a gold-digger.”
She gasped, a barely audible sound. “I’m not trying—”
He shook his head. “I’m most certainly not talking about you, Callie. As far as I’m concerned, everything I have is already yours.”
“What? I don’t know what’s happening here. You don’t know me. Am I missing something?”
“You’re suspicious.”
“Well, look at you and look at me.”
“Okay,” he said. “What’s your point?”
She scoffed. “Besides the fact that I’m broke, well, I don’t exactly have men clamoring at my door for dates. And you—”
He stopped her from continuing, waving a finger in warning. No way was he going to allow her to tear herself apart. Although he was grateful she was single, she already had him wrapped around her finger.
“You said I didn’t look like I belonged where you worked.”
“You don’t.”
“Because I would never choose to visit a place like that. I don’t drink shit beer or enjoy watching naked women sell themselves for dollar bills. I was only there because of you. From the first day I saw you, I was hooked. I can’t explain it, but I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”
“Me?”
He smiled. “You.”
“That’s hard to believe. Well, what were you doing there in the first place, then?” she asked.
“It was a quick business meeting. Not my choice. I never would have returned if it weren’t for you.”
“You never even talked to me. Never asked me out on a date or anything. I’m confused.”
He wasn’t going to tell her he’d been studying her, watching her habits, and then trying for the life of him to forget her and move the fuck on.
Some switch in his head had flipped and he kept coming back to see her.
She invaded his thoughts until it was hard to focus at work, which said a lot because he was known for his ironclad concentration.
“You said you don’t have men clamoring at your door. Well, I’m not very good with people. I tend to keep to myself.”
“You were afraid to talk to me?”
He raised a brow. “I guess you could say that.”
“And then you saved my life. That’s a good way to sweep a girl off her feet.”
“It seemed to have worked in my favor,” he said.
He took her plate and brought it to the dishwasher. She’d eaten everything he served her as they’d talked.
“Are you still hungry?” he asked.
“No, just a bit tired. Overwhelmed I guess.”
He hoped he hadn’t fucked everything up by coming on so strong.
She deserved to be courted, to be taken on dates and spoiled.
Although he planned to do all that, she was being thrust into something she never asked for.
She may be impressed with the things he owned, but he was much older than her and didn’t want to assume she was attracted to him. Maybe she didn’t want a man at all.
He still couldn’t let her go. The thought of her returning to her old life made his hackles rise. His need to protect her, to turn her life around, was his top priority. But would she ever want him in return? Or only accept him because the choice was taken away from her?
Fuck, he should have listened to Bastian. She was going to think he was a serial killer or some crazed overbearing fatal attraction. He wanted her to love him, not be afraid of him like almost everyone else he’d encountered.
“You’re definitely entitled to feel overwhelmed. What are you thinking?” he asked.
“You say you like me, but it still doesn’t make sense.”
“Does it have to make sense?” he asked. “Tell me, little one. Do I scare you? Am I pushing too hard?”
“I want to believe you. Trust me, I really want to believe you.”
“That’s good. I thought you’d say I was too old to date.”
She bit her lip again and it was the fucking sexiest thing he’d ever seen. “I don’t care about things like that.”
Of course she wouldn’t. The girl was a saint. And he didn’t deserve her.
“Then I’m officially asking you out on a date, like I should have in the very beginning. Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow? Anyplace you want.”
In that moment, Evander thought of all the people who’d begged him for their lives, the men who’d implored him to have a heart.
Emotion had never fazed him. Empathy wasn’t one of his weaknesses.
But Callie made him feel as fragile as an eggshell.
Like her rejection would cause him to crumble into nothingness.
“I’d like that.”
And just like that, those three little words made his entire world make sense again. She had no idea the power she wielded. He’d do absolutely anything for her.
****
Callie spent the night in Evander’s home.
It felt wrong and inappropriate on some levels, but he never tried a thing.
After dinner, he showed her to a fully-stocked guest room and she hadn’t seen or heard from him since.
In fact, the house had been eerily quiet, as if there was no one there but her.
She’d thought a lot about their conversations before falling asleep.
Callie would be a fool to push away a man like Evander.
He was perfect—handsome, buff, protective, and attentive.
She had to admit it was addicting being wanted and desired.
That’s why it was so hard to believe anything he said.
She was expecting him to start laughing, telling her it was all a big prank.
And Callie didn’t want her heart broken. She’d already lost so much in her life.
There was a loud knock on the bedroom door, startling her. She’s slept through the whole night, and it took her a minute to figure out where she was.
When she cracked open the door, Evander was standing on the other side with a paper bag and a huge bouquet of flowers. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“What is all this?”
“I grabbed some breakfast pastries. Coffee is brewing.” He looked so happy, so full of life. “And these are for you.”
He passed her the bouquet. No one had ever given her flowers before. She was close to tears, at a complete loss for words. She cradled the bouquet, breathing in the subtle scents of the flowers.
“I love them. Thank you,” she said. When she looked at him again, she did a double take, tilting her head as she studied his face. “Did you hurt yourself?”
He frowned, using his free hand to touch his jawline. There was a fresh cut that wasn’t there last night.
As quickly as he’d frowned, he smiled again, brushing away her comment. “Just a little shaving mishap. Come to the kitchen. I’ll get all these out of the bag.”
She hadn’t heard anyone walking in the halls this morning. That’s how deeply she’d been out.
“How was your sleep?” he asked once they arrived in the kitchen.
“Surprisingly good.”
Then the fantasy started to fracture in her mind as worry settled in.
Her job. She wasn’t injured enough to stay away from work for long.
Nothing really happened. Callie had rent, bills, and food to pay for.
One day off could break her when she lived paycheck to paycheck.
Unlike Evander, she didn’t have the luxury of missing days whenever she felt like it.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“What time is it anyway?” She knew she’d slept in, and it had felt good, but maybe she could make it in for an afternoon shift. Had Evander even called her work to report her absence like he’d promised?
“Almost ten.”
It wasn’t like her to sleep in. She needed to stop playing the victim and get her life back on track. “Did you call the club yesterday?”
He didn’t answer her, pulling out a ceramic tray from the cupboards under the kitchen island. Evander began taking the pastries out of the bag. They look delicious and high-end.
“Have whatever you like. I got a bit of everything just in case.” When she started to question him again, he interrupted her. “Let me grab a vase for your flowers.”
He left the room and she felt a bit out of sorts.
She carefully set the bouquet on the island and sat up on a stool.
If he hadn’t called Guy’s Titties, this wouldn’t end well for her.
Well, surely Guy would understand if she’d been in a hospital.
But the police weren’t called and he may not even believe her.
“Here we go,” said Evander, returning with a white tubular vase.
“It’s all I could find. Honestly, I don’t know how I even have this one.
” He chuckled to himself and she realized, despite everything, she was falling for his personality.
Not his face, his body, or his money, but who she was getting to know as a person.
As much as she’d love to forget the world beyond these walls, she couldn’t hide forever. “You didn’t call, did you?”
He took a breath and exhaled. When he made eye contact, her heart did a little leap. Evander shook his head.
“Why not?” She started looking around the countertops. “Do you have a phone I can use then?”
“You’re very enthusiastic about returning to that place. It’s not safe, Callie.”
She huffed. “It’s not about wanting or not wanting. It’s about necessity. Trust me, I’ve tried to get other jobs, but it’s not easy.”
“You’re better than that club.”
“It doesn’t matter if I’m Mother Theresa. I still have bills to pay.”
Evander placed the flowers into the vase and then filled it with water at the sink. She watched him from behind. Something about him calmed her, made her feel safe and wanted.
“How about if I made you a deal?”
“What kind of deal?”
“I can give you a job.”
She raised a brow. “A job? What are you talking about?”
He set the flowers down, then braced both hands on the counter. His eyes were set hard, his casual demeaner changing into something more intense. “I don’t want you going back there, Callie. If you don’t want me to take care of you, you can work for me.”
She shook her head. “I’m not taking your money. We both know you have no job openings. And you definitely don’t need a maid.” Callie stretched out her arm to showcase his spotless home. “You don’t need to worry about me anymore.”
He came closer to her, coming right up next to her stool. The man was so close she swore she could feel the heat from his skin.
“What about our date? The one you agreed to?”
“We can still do that.”
He played with some of her hair that came loose, twirling it around his finger. “I like you, Callie. Give me a chance.” His words were quiet, almost whispered, but gruff. Her body reacted to his deep voice, his touch, and his body hovering so close to her.
She dared to say, “I like you too.”
He hissed through his teeth, her entire body lighting up in response. “You have no idea how good it sounds to hear you say that,” he said.
Oh God, was he going to kiss her? He was so close and she could feel the connection between them. The heat. His cologne was rich and masculine. Without thinking about it, she reached out and placed a hand on his chest. He didn’t pull away.
Evander ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek toward her mouth, then ran his thumb along her lower lip. “You’re absolutely perfect, Callie. I’m going to make you mine.”