Human Interaction by Cheyenne Meadows Page B

replied, tilting his head in my direction. Old worn jeans coated his lower body as a form fitting black T-shirt covered that wide expanse of chest. His dark hair fell just below his collar while piecing blue eyes remained connected to mine. The room seemed to shrink with his manly presence.
    Sighing, I replaced the tutu back on the rack, turning to face him once more. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." My chin dropped as I studied the floor.
    A finger delicately placed under my jaw pulled my face up to meet his gaze once more. "No. I'm sorry." The whispered words easily carried in the small space.
    His finger stroked the soft skin of my cheek then down my neck before it fell away. Tiny ripples radiated from the area to the pit of my belly.
    "I…" I chewed my lip debating on what to say. "I wanted to thank you for the flowers." There, I completed what I'd come here to do.
    He regarded me once more. "You're welcome. I didn't know…" He sat down on the nearby chair, rubbing his forehead. "I see all kinds of women…"
    "You don't have to explain. I understand." I took the seat opposite him.
    "Let me finish." His voice, though gentle, discouraged any argument. "I had no idea that you were a mother. I heard the word 'kids' and jumped to conclusions. Single mothers don't usually spend much time in this establishment. Some women don't even know how lucky they are to have children. The kids are only a commodity, an afterthought. Nothing more." Anger and frustration laced his voice. Lifting his head, he met my stare once more. "Ducian told me about your… situation." He reached out to lightly trace the back of my hand. "My gut twisted for what I said. And, it ate at me, leaving you with those accusations." He pulled his hand back, leaning back in his seat. "I waited for you to return to the club. When you didn't…" His words trailed off.
    "You found my address?" I questioned softly.
    He nodded. "Best idea I could come up with. Ducian bet me it wouldn't work." For the first time a genuine grin appeared.
    Blinking, I sat up straighter in my seat. "Bet?" I clamped down on the emerging anger. After all that and I was a means for a bet?
    "Yeah."
    "Maybe you should explain." I gritted my teeth. So help me if he slunk farther than big jerk status, I was going to duct tape him to the door and leave him there.
    He grinned, leaning closer. "I thought flowers would get you to come in. He disagreed. Thought that if I wanted to see you again, I would have to track you down personally."
    "I see." This didn't seem to be getting any better. "What did you win?"
    Meat grinned proudly, crossing his arms over his chest. "The winner paid for our dinner date."
    I blinked. "Our?"
    He nodded. "I won the bet; he pays for the dinner date between you and me. If I had lost, I would have had to pay for it myself."
    Wait a minute. His declaration sideswiped me. "What dinner date?" He wanted to go out with me? Perplexed, I tilted my head in question. Date. Exotic dancer. MIA husband. My mind whirled with complicated thoughts.
    He took my right hand in between both his, and then brought the back of it up to his lips for a butterfly soft kiss. "Will you do me the honor of eating dinner with me?"
    You only live once. "I can't eat dinner with you until I know your real name." I lowered my head, but peered up at him through my lashes. "I certainly can't be calling you Meat in the restaurant, can I?"
    He grinned, still keeping hold of my hand. "Tygerius Augustus Tacticus at your service."
    Blinking, I sputtered. "Tiggers Are Us, what?"
    He snorted in response. "Tygerius. Ty-Jeer-E-Us."
    "Ty-ger-i-us," I echoed. "Italian much? Let me guess, descendent of Spartacus?" I prodded, tongue in cheek.
    His mouth turned up farther, revealing white fangs just barely visible behind those full lips.
    "You must be old, too." I rolled my eyes.
    Humans might rule the world in numbers, but on the scale of life longevity, we fall quite short. Vampires and shapeshifters tended to exist for