to have to pay guy’s rent. But I’m also not looking for a guy to pay mine.”
“An independent woman.”
“So everyone says. What about you? If I went through a scrapbook of your past girlfriends, would eighty percent of them be blonde or all be kindergarten teachers?”
Alexa wasn’t sure she actually wanted the answer to that question. She didn’t usually spend much time contemplating the other women in a man’s life.
“No kindergarten teachers, but I’ve dated all kinds of women—professional women, cocktail waitresses, women who own their own gym. All kinds.”
Graham splayed his hands wide in front of him.
“So, I’m squarely in your demographic? Female and breathing.”
He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. “Precisely. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I like beautiful women, but what man doesn’t? Personality wise? Mostly, it’s just about chemistry. I know when I meet a woman if I’m going to see her again tomorrow. That’s my only qualification.”
A shred of her heart sank, but she scraped it up and forced some humor. “Dammit. Now I don’t feel special and all.”
“Oh, you’re special. You’re sexy, blunt, but sweet.”
“Never in my life has anyone called me sweet.” Ever. Sweet wasn’t a goal of hers.
Graham stretched his legs under the table, knocking his foot against Alexa’s. That sensation spreading up her leg? No. Not sweet. He disagreed.
“What you’re doing for Toby and Sarah is sweet.”
“They’re my friends. I don’t know that I have enough wide-eyed optimism or a perky enough personality for sweet.”
“If it counts for anything, I meant it as a compliment.”
Alexa raised her glass. “Compliment accepted. By the way, it’s nice of you to help out with the benefit. You just met Toby and Sarah, and you didn’t have to do it.”
“They’re good people, and I get asked to donate to a lot of causes that aren’t as personal as this one.”
“Well, it’s real sss-weet .” Alexa put on her most affected southern accent. Graham took a fake bow in his chair. “It’s nice to know that you’re not just some Casanova.”
“Only on the weekends. And national holidays. But I could be talked out of that if I met the right woman. I’m open.”
“But you have no idea who this ‘right woman’ is.”
“I haven’t found her yet, and your Mr. Right is out there somewhere, too.”
An itch in her chest seemed to start on the inside. Alexa scratched at it with no effect. “I try not to get wrapped up in the idea. It’s like a cult. All the married people in the world won’t rest until they are no single people whatsoever.”
“I’ll settle down eventually.” The pitch of his voice fell off in defeat.
“You sound thrilled.”
“We’re both equally thrilled. Maybe it’s fate.” He took another sip of wine.
Alexa knew better than to mistake his sardonic smile for a sincere one.
She took another fingernail to her sternum and shifted the conversation to cover the details of their early family lives. Graham spent his endlessly torturing his baby sister, leaving Alexa glad she never had a brother.
“I can’t believe you set her Barbies on fire.”
“I was trying to play fireman. I didn’t know the shoeboxes she was using for Barbie’s house would be so flammable. Lesson learned. I’ve never heard my father yell as a loudly as he did when he came home. They had to replace the floor in the den and the hallway. It was all one big piece of ruined carpet.” Graham spread his arms wide. “Yeah, my parents were not amused.”
Wistfulness clouded his eyes, then cleared. She could imagine a young and mischievous Graham getting into all sorts of trouble. Hell, she can imagine the older, roguish man in front of her getting into trouble.
“I missed out on siblings, but I’d visit relatives and hang out with my cousins in the summer. I was always well-behaved.”
“Really? You have a streak of the troublemaker in you.”
“My bad
“An independent woman.”
“So everyone says. What about you? If I went through a scrapbook of your past girlfriends, would eighty percent of them be blonde or all be kindergarten teachers?”
Alexa wasn’t sure she actually wanted the answer to that question. She didn’t usually spend much time contemplating the other women in a man’s life.
“No kindergarten teachers, but I’ve dated all kinds of women—professional women, cocktail waitresses, women who own their own gym. All kinds.”
Graham splayed his hands wide in front of him.
“So, I’m squarely in your demographic? Female and breathing.”
He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. “Precisely. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I like beautiful women, but what man doesn’t? Personality wise? Mostly, it’s just about chemistry. I know when I meet a woman if I’m going to see her again tomorrow. That’s my only qualification.”
A shred of her heart sank, but she scraped it up and forced some humor. “Dammit. Now I don’t feel special and all.”
“Oh, you’re special. You’re sexy, blunt, but sweet.”
“Never in my life has anyone called me sweet.” Ever. Sweet wasn’t a goal of hers.
Graham stretched his legs under the table, knocking his foot against Alexa’s. That sensation spreading up her leg? No. Not sweet. He disagreed.
“What you’re doing for Toby and Sarah is sweet.”
“They’re my friends. I don’t know that I have enough wide-eyed optimism or a perky enough personality for sweet.”
“If it counts for anything, I meant it as a compliment.”
Alexa raised her glass. “Compliment accepted. By the way, it’s nice of you to help out with the benefit. You just met Toby and Sarah, and you didn’t have to do it.”
“They’re good people, and I get asked to donate to a lot of causes that aren’t as personal as this one.”
“Well, it’s real sss-weet .” Alexa put on her most affected southern accent. Graham took a fake bow in his chair. “It’s nice to know that you’re not just some Casanova.”
“Only on the weekends. And national holidays. But I could be talked out of that if I met the right woman. I’m open.”
“But you have no idea who this ‘right woman’ is.”
“I haven’t found her yet, and your Mr. Right is out there somewhere, too.”
An itch in her chest seemed to start on the inside. Alexa scratched at it with no effect. “I try not to get wrapped up in the idea. It’s like a cult. All the married people in the world won’t rest until they are no single people whatsoever.”
“I’ll settle down eventually.” The pitch of his voice fell off in defeat.
“You sound thrilled.”
“We’re both equally thrilled. Maybe it’s fate.” He took another sip of wine.
Alexa knew better than to mistake his sardonic smile for a sincere one.
She took another fingernail to her sternum and shifted the conversation to cover the details of their early family lives. Graham spent his endlessly torturing his baby sister, leaving Alexa glad she never had a brother.
“I can’t believe you set her Barbies on fire.”
“I was trying to play fireman. I didn’t know the shoeboxes she was using for Barbie’s house would be so flammable. Lesson learned. I’ve never heard my father yell as a loudly as he did when he came home. They had to replace the floor in the den and the hallway. It was all one big piece of ruined carpet.” Graham spread his arms wide. “Yeah, my parents were not amused.”
Wistfulness clouded his eyes, then cleared. She could imagine a young and mischievous Graham getting into all sorts of trouble. Hell, she can imagine the older, roguish man in front of her getting into trouble.
“I missed out on siblings, but I’d visit relatives and hang out with my cousins in the summer. I was always well-behaved.”
“Really? You have a streak of the troublemaker in you.”
“My bad
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