His Ward by Lena Matthews

strong for a second, then wavered with a sheepish smile. “I have them narrowed down to my favorite two. You know I hate shopping for these things. Hell, shopping in general. There should be someone who does that. An old white chick with a magic wand, who can bippity boppity boo me.”
    “Why do you make this so complicated? Just buy both.”
    “That would be a waste.”
    “A beautiful dress is never a waste, but if you want a second opinion, I’ll gladly go with you to look at them.”
    “You hate shopping.”
    That had nothing to do with anything. “I enjoy spending time with you.”
    “We can do that without going to the store. Besides, Kristyn said she’d go with me to pick something out.” Tionne leaned in closer. “Though, between me, you, and the birds, I think she’s really just trying to make sure I don’t outshine her.”
    Misha grimaced. The mere mention of Tionne’s coworker and so-called friend brought a frown to his face. “I don’t suppose she actually bought a ticket.”
    Tionne nibbled her bottom lip. “Well…she’s kind of my plus one.”
    “That’s what I thought. Freeloading.” And Tionne was too sweet to see it.
    “You really don’t like her, do you?”
    That was a very big understatement. “Not even a little bit.”
    “Why?” She placed her hand over his. “You barely even know her.”
    The unexpected touch surprised him, and it took him a second to answer her. “I know enough.”
    “Fine,” she said, pulling back. “But it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to like her. She’s my friend, not yours. If her coming to the benefit is such a big deal, then I’ll tell her she can’t come, but I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to go back on my word.”
    He missed her touch instantly. “You’re a much better friend to her than she is to you.”
    “I don’t keep tally on things like that.”
    “I do, and trust me, you could do better.”
    “You feel that way about everyone in my life.”
    Misha grunted. “That doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
    “Doesn’t mean you’re right either.”
    “In this case. Trust me when I say I am.” He raised his hand and signaled to the waiter for their check. “Since we’re obviously not going to eat, or shop, how about we go for a walk.”
    “You really are trying to avoid work today, aren’t you?”
    “Just for a little longer.” By then, everything would be cleared up, and they could go back to life as he knew it. “Care to be my enabler?”
    “It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it.”
    So was looking after her, but she was his, and he would take care of her for as long as he was able, whether she liked it or not.
    * * * *
    “I waited all night to hear back from you.” Tionne looked up from the coffee she was nursing and over at her friend Kristyn, who was standing in the doorway of the break room. The statuesque redhead teasingly moved her perfectly arched eyebrows up and down as she walked closer to Tionne. “Should I take that as a good sign?”
    “Um…no.” Tionne snorted. “The exact opposite.”
    “Nooo!” Kristyn cried out in mock despair. “Tell me it isn’t so.”
    “It’s very much so.”
    Kristyn groaned. “You’re killing me, kid. Killing me.”
    “What can I say? Another one bites the dust.”
    “But Troy had promise. I’m willing to bet you didn’t give him a fair enough chance.”
    That was a matter of opinion, and Kristyn was welcome to hers, but Tionne knew the truth. Even before the nail incident, Tionne had already pretty much made up her mind. “Five dates was more than fair. It just didn’t work out. He was too”—she grimaced as she tried to think of the right word—“grabby.”
    “What do you expect? Five dates of heavy petting with no payoff would make anyone grabby.”
    Tionne was happy the break room was empty with as much sharing as Kristyn was doing. “The petting didn’t come until date four, thank you very much.”
    “Which is why he probably assumed he