I followed the black SUV and laughed to myself when he pulled into TopGolf. He waited until I parked next to him, and then we walked up the stairs together.
“I thought you meant food.”
“We can eat here.”
He held the door for me. I waited in the lobby while he got us a golf bay. The hostess checked us in and then walked us to the top floor, directly across from an extended bar and a private patio.
I sat on the couch and watched as she showed us how to use the system. She left some menus on the low table after Paxton ordered us two iced teas.
“Unsweetened okay?”
I shrugged my shoulders and nodded.
Now that we were here, I felt awkward. I fidgeted with the hem of my shorts. Paxton took a club out of the bin and handed it to me.
I stood abruptly. “Paxton, listen, this is weird. I don’t even really know you. I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m getting married soon, and, well… I think this is a bad idea.”
He grinned his big bad wolf grin, looking even more devilish with a few days of scruff on his jaw; it looked like he hadn’t shaved since last weekend.
“I agree it’s a bit weird, but not that it’s a bad idea. And I can’t help you with the marriage part, but I’m not the one that showed up at my mom’s studio. Why don’t you start with that, and we’ll figure out the rest as we go?”
“You aren’t supposed to be so rational.”
He held out the golf club again. “You’re up. And what did you expect? I’m not an uncouth beast all the time.” I stood warily gauging him, and he extended the club. “C’mon, it’s golf. Knock out your frustration.”
“I’m not frustrated.”
“Well, I am. So hurry up.” He winked at me, and I took the club from him, stepping up to the tee box and tapping the ball release.
I hit the ball hard, and it went flying out toward the back net.
“Are you grifting me?”
I turned and saw him leaning back against the couch cushions, arms crossed over his chest, one ankle crossed over his other knee. He was smiling. His cargo shorts showed off his thick thighs and didn’t do anything to lessen my attraction to him.
“I play with my dad. Played. I haven’t golfed in a really long time.”
Extending the club to him, I expected him to take it. Instead, he scooted over on the couch and patted the cushion next to him.
“What should I remember about you?”
Taking a deep breath, I sat down next to him, pulling one knee up onto the couch so I could face him. He didn’t move.
I told him about the ballet recital and what he’d said to me. He shifted in his seat, turning so he could face me.
When I was finished, he reached out and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. His thickly-lashed eyes roamed my face, my hair, and finally—my mouth.
He whispered, “It seems I’ve been a shit for as long as you’ve known me.”
“A fair assessment.”
The waitress interrupted us, placing our drinks on the table. Paxton ordered fajitas for two. He asked me, “Is that okay?”
“That’s fine, yes.”
When she left, he turned back to me. “But that doesn’t answer why you were there today.”
His gaze was piercing mine. My chest felt tight. “I… I don’t really know.”
“You’re a coward, Charlotte.” He said on a short laugh. His words felt like a slap.
“Why are you always such an ass?”
I stood to leave, and he reached out for my wrist, holding me in place. “I’m sorry, please stay.”
Inhaling, I whispered sharply, “You have been nothing but rude, and crass, and… well, just everything deplorable in a human being since I met you. Then you kiss me and act like a gentleman. Kind of. I think I could like you and then you call me names.”
He held me in place, but his grip softened. “Charlotte, my actions toward you have never been anything but truthful. If you could step back for just a minute, you might see that it’s your actions you’re doubting. I’ve made no pretense that I want you.”
“No, you’ve made no pretense that you want to fuck me.” I frowned at him.
“Well, you have me there.” He was placating me. Pointing out that he was married would just add fuel to the fire, so I chose not to bring it up.
He took the club from the table where I’d left it, went to the tee box, and set up to hit a ball. He hit a few while I simply sat there watching him.
My own motivation in coming here wasn’t something I was willing to dwell on.
“Tell me about your brother.”
“He’s more your type, huh?”
“If you mean personable, friendly, and kind, then yes, I guess he’s my type.”
He placed the golf club back in the holder, grabbed another one, and hit another couple of balls before sitting back down beside me. He stared out at the driving range, and I took this time to look at his profile.
His golden freckles were more pronounced in the sun. His eyes were contemplative. His jaw was tense, and I could almost see the wheels turning in his head.
Our food arrived. We continued to sit in silence, each of us arranging the tortillas and meat on the small plates.
I took small bites of my lunch; he inhaled three fajitas. When he was finished, he wiped his hands, took a sip of tea, and turned to face me.
“My mom was a ballerina. When she was younger, she was prima with the Phoenix dance company. Unwisely, she had an affair with the director, got pregnant, and was kicked out. He was married and refused to accept that the child was his.”
“You?”
He nodded and cleared his throat. “Ballerinas aren’t paid much to begin with, and now she didn’t have a paycheck at all. She moved into a not-so-nice apartment complex and made friends with the other girls that lived there. They happened to be strippers and suggested she try dancing. She was young, and now she had a baby. It was a way to make money.”
“But she has a successful studio.” It was both a comment and a question.
“She does now.” He took a drink of his tea. “She wanted to go to college, so she would leave me with the girls during the day and dance at night.”
“Oh, my goodness. You really have been in this business your entire life. You were like their little doll.”
He laughed. “I guess. But I’m not in the strip club business, Charlotte.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“That’s kind of the perception, though, isn’t it? Pole dancers? Strippers? It’s difficult to separate the two.”
He was right. I had been angry with Mark for exactly the same thing. “How did she get back to ballet?”
“One night, my dad”—he paused— “Max’s dad… One night Max’s dad came into the club with some of his business partners. He’d lost his wife, Max’s mom, to breast cancer a few years prior, and they wanted to get him out of his funk. They came here for a convention and showed up at the club where she worked.”
“Poor Max. How old was he when his mom died?”
He looked like he was doing math in his head before he responded. “Um, maybe three or four? He and I are the same age. Same grade. Not the same disposition.”
I shook my head. “Go on.”
“He was instantly taken with her, but she didn’t want anything to do with him. He tried to get her attention, but she was focused on school and me. Or so she says.” He laughed at himself. “This is my mom’s version of the story, of course.
“Why did she agree to go out with him?”
“He would come to the club during the day, waiting for her, so he could ask her out on a real date.”
“That’s kind of creepy.” I crossed my arms.
“You mean like showing up at someone’s place of business?” He looked at me pointedly, putting me in my place.
I raised my chin. “I thought that was your mother’s place of business. I didn’t expect to see you.”
He smiled knowingly and leaned forward. “But you didn’t expect not to see me?”
I blushed and looked back out at the driving range.
The waitress arrived with our check. “Your bay reservation ends in fifteen minutes.”
Paxton took out his wallet, pulled out his credit card, and handed it to her with the check. “Thank you for reminding us.”
We waited until she left, then I commented, “Obviously, she eventually said yes.”
“Obviously.”
“You and Max seem really close.”
“We are. We weren’t always, though.”
He left it at that.
“Do you want to hit a few more balls?”
Raising his eyebrows at me, he asked, “Do you?”
“I should probably get going.”
He stood, extending his hand to me. “I’ll walk you out.”
I took his hand, and he didn’t let go as we walked back out into the parking lot. When we reached my car, I leaned against the door. He put his hands on the frame of the car, caging me in.
I licked my lips, hoping he would kiss me again. “You didn’t finish your story.”
“Are you asking me out?”
He was so close to me. All I had to do was push off the side of the car, and I would be pressed up against him.
“No, just making small talk.”
He laughed and pushed himself away from me, reaching into his shorts pocket and pulling out his keys.
“You should go see Sol tomorrow.” He paused. “If you’re still here.”
“Maybe.”
“She teaches a group beginner floor class at noon. I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
“Solara teaches?”
He was backing up toward his SUV. “Go see her.”
I was left staring after him, more intrigued than ever. I watched as he drove out of the parking lot before I took myself back to my parents.