Celia hummed quietly to herself while I drove, too distracted by the fact that I had just asked a woman on a fucking date to pay attention to anything else. Griffin Steele didn’t date. Griffin Steele hit and quit. I had literally never taken a woman to a restaurant, ever, but after two hours had asked Cori to dinner. I knew I wanted her the second I saw her, but had no idea how crazy I’d gone. We were nearly to Needles and I was falling into an abyss of what the hell have I done when Celia spoke.

“When can I see Axel again?” Her voice was so soft I nearly missed it, lost in my own thoughts.

“Hopefully before next dance class. Did you have fun?” I watched her in the mirror as she nodded eagerly, smiling. Her smiles were rare. Considering all she had been through, I didn’t blame her. Celia was broken and bruised when a woman knocked on my door four months before. As soon as I opened it she said the words I never thought I would hear.

I was not meant to be a parent, I was always careful, but there she was, my DNA-confirmed daughter with a woman I didn’t remember. My life stopped and started all at once the day she came to my house. The drinking and womanizing stopped, abruptly, but the growing up happened way too damn fast.

Mom stayed with us. She needed the help as much as I did, and we worked it out, or we tried. Celia watched her mother overdose and was alone in the house with the body for an entire day before some dealer came to collect. Fortunately, the dealer wasn’t a complete waste of space. He called the police, waiting with Celia until they came. After doing some research, they found a birth certificate on which I was named as the father, but I know I didn’t sign. The rest was history. Celia was mine, and I’d be damned before she was sent anywhere else.

I hadn’t dated, well … ever, but my sex life stopped entirely once Mom and Celia moved in. No more late nights, or sleeping all day. No more texts for a quick fuck. I went as far as to change my number so there were no women trying to contact me. One look at Cori and Axel had me sold, though.

Celia didn’t play with other kids, didn’t talk to them, but with Axel she was normal, well almost. When my princess talked to Cori, I knew I was done and it would be different. She was a parent, and a damn good one, so there would be no booty calls. If I wanted anything to do with her, it would have to be done right, which meant I had run into another steep learning curve.

Cori was hot as hell for sure, but her whole attitude was sexy. The way she carried herself told me she deserved more. The woman was edgy and sarcastic, but kind and compassionate. I was used to the stares, six feet four and covered in ink made me a target for roving eyes. I learned to ignore disapproving glares. The other mothers at the dance class looked at me like I could be a dirty little secret, but Cori was unmoved by me, or pretended to be. It presented a challenge, and I loved challenges.

I had enough on my plate. I had a business to run, a daughter to raise, and a mother to placate, but one dinner wasn’t going to derail everything. Or is it? My mouth had a mind of its own when I asked her to dinner, I didn’t do relationships, never had. I didn’t commit, didn’t call the next day, and didn’t want to settle down. Despite me listing all my reasons why I shouldn’t, I instantly wanted Cori, before I even saw her face. Her amazing curves and black clothes drew me in, but her smile sold me. There was pain behind her whiskey-colored eyes, but the woman put on a good front. Cori could fool the world, but I knew hurt when I saw it, and within the span of two hours had become determined to fix everything.

Celia and I stopped by the shop to check my schedule the next day. Busy as hell, but busy meant good money. The receptionist slash piercer handed Celia a sucker. “How’s my favorite girl?” Hattie snatched Celia up in a hug, making her giggle. “Was dance class great?” Hattie had been with us since the beginning. She was my partner’s kid sister and a big part of our business. What was a tattoo shop without a badass piercer? Then Waylon appeared from the back, offering me a grunt as he approached.

“I made a friend.” Celia’s words made them both look to me for confirmation, and I nodded. Celia never made friends, thus the social worker being a bitch. “Griffie made a friend too.” It made me ache when she called me by my name. I wanted desperately to at least be Dad, but the social worker said it would take time, and no matter how judgmental, she knew her stuff. I was impatient as hell and wanted to be called Daddy. “Can I paint my nails like Axel?”

“Of course, whatever you want, Princess.” Waylon fought back a laugh at my words. Badass motherfuckers shouldn’t use words like princess, but fuck him. Waylon was shorter, stockier than me, and even heavier on the ink. His burly beard and shaved head made him look badass, but he was as soft as they came with Celia. Hell, he was soft with everyone.

“Is she your new friend? Axel is a cool name. Tell me about Griffie’s friend.” Hattie sweet talked my daughter instead of asking me. It took six weeks for her to even speak to Hattie, but once she did, the flood gates opened and the chatter was bountiful. Hattie was Celia’s favorite person, and the closest thing she had to a maternal figure. Hattie took on the role of aunt like a champ.

“Axel has a mommy but no daddy. Her mommy is Cori. They had ice cream with us and her nails are black.” Celia popped the sucker back in her mouth like the conversation was over. Then the accusing stares happened.

“Cori works for Jovie down at The Dog House, and Celia loved her daughter.” I shrugged like it was no big deal, but the siblings just laughed. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t all kinds of hot for the woman, but I couldn’t admit it aloud. It wasn’t the “fuck her and leave” kind of hot, either. Hell, I had asked her to dinner, but if I told my partner, he would have died there in the floor. I couldn’t process what had taken over me, telling them was not happening. They teased me a little more before I dragged Celia back out to the car. The next day would be a mess of clients and verbal torture. I didn’t get all messed up over ladies, so my transparency was too obvious when they started prodding for answers about Cori. Fortunately, I didn’t have much to tell them, yet.

Home was no better. Once Mom got wind of Cori from Celia she gave me a disapproving look.

Actually, disapproving would be too weak a term. Mom looked at me like I had scandalized the family and I was dragging them all to hell with me. Not like her son was a grown ass man or anything. She detested my womanizing before Celia was around and was waiting for me to fuck up, waiting for me to get caught with some skanky woman at my place when there was a surprise visit from a social worker, but I had cleaned up my act. No piece of ass was worth losing my princess.

Celia played quietly the rest of the evening while Mom practically followed me around grumbling at me. I let it all roll off, waiting for us to talk privately. I had just closed the door to Celia’s room after putting her to bed. When I made it down to the kitchen when she finally cornered me.

“Tell me about this woman. You go to one dance class and suddenly you’re prowling for single mothers? You have a daughter to raise now! You can’t go screwing who you want anymore, Griffin. I can’t believe Celia saw you acting like a horny teenager. You are supposed to be setting an example for your daughter.” Her tone was more than I could take, but I kept my head.

“Don’t be so vulgar. I’m not screwing anyone.” I wished I was. Cori would look fucking amazing bent over my table, but I certainly didn’t say it to my mother. “Celia talked to her and her daughter. We had ice cream, and I’m taking her to dinner tomorrow night. You honestly think I would jeopardize this?” It was almost enough to make Mom shut the hell up, but the look on her face was priceless.

“You’re taking a woman on a date?” The confusion in her voice and emphasis on the word you were enough to make me laugh. My mother’s mouth fell open slightly and she looked up at me from her seat with surprise written all over her face. Mom looked put together, so she was feeling good. Her wanting to argue with me meant she was feeling really good. Her hands curled around the mug of herbal tea I made her while I talked. I told her the story, repeating it for the second time in a day. The smile on her face when I told her I was taking a woman out and not just fucking her was great. Like she was almost proud of her son. I ushered her off to bed as she readily agreed to play babysitter the following evening.

I was jittery the next day; I had never taken a woman out. I’d never had to plan anything. My experience with women was under me in a bed not sitting across from me at a restaurant. My jog that morning was spent trying to come up with a plan. Even if it turned out there was nothing but friendship between us, Celia talked to her and I was attracted to her. It was something I had to hang on to. Anything to help my little girl adjust, to make her able to cope better, and maybe seeing a mother on a regular basis would help her. Hell, I could at least get parenting tips. My jog down Broadway came to an abrupt halt when a car swung into a parking lot, nearly clipping me in the process. Granted, I wasn’t paying attention, but they obviously weren’t, either. I slammed my hand on the car’s side, cursing them loudly in the process.

“Shit, I am so sorry! I was in a hurry … Oh, God.” Cori’s words stopped abruptly when she saw it was me she nearly pancaked with her Jeep. Her face turned red and her eyes went wide.

“No, my fault. I wasn’t paying any attention.” Not my fault, but it was Cori and I was trying to score some points. Her eyes slid over my chest and stomach before she shook her head. Cori’s face turned bright red. I was sweaty, so my shirt stuck to me, accentuating the good parts. I returned the favor, taking in her tight jeans and tank top. She was so fucking hot. There were a few beats of silence with us staring before I made my way around her Jeep to follow her inside. Screw running, I had twenty more minutes, so I was going to spend it with her.

“Stalking me now?” I held the door open after Cori unlocked it and she ducked under my arm to go inside. Even her teasing tone was sexy.

“Maybe. How did not fantasizing about me go last night?” I crossed my arms over my chest as she spun to stare me down. Her hands went to her hips and the woman put up a determined effort to not smile. “Well?” I tugged my shirt up to use the bottom to wipe my face. Cori’s eyes went even wider, and the red in her face deepened to crimson. Without answering the question, Cori turned the computer on then turned to vanish down the hall. I watched her hips move, begging me to follow her, so I did. Then she rounded a corner, coming back out of the room, and slamming into me.

“Stalker,” Cori said the words slowly, looking up at me through her long lashes. “Why are you in here?” Our proximity got the best of her, and she took a step back. I followed, shrugging at her question. I wasn’t used to women putting up a fight; most were begging me to screw them, but Cori was determined to make me work for it. I was totally up for the challenge. My life had already been flipped on its end, so why not mix it up a little more? Women never made me all possessive and ready for the chase, but she did. I loved it. The woman was mine, whether she knew it or not. Fuck me sideways, I’ve gone crazy. I was sure Cori could feel the simmer between us too because her face turned bright red anytime I got close.

“I’m enjoying your company.” I shrugged again, playing it off. I was practically in love with the woman already. She pushed around me, but I grabbed her arm. Her spine straightened, and her breathing stopped as soon as my hand wrapped around her upper arm. I rubbed circles on her arm with my thumb. “Celia asked about seeing Axel again.” I turned her to face me, releasing her arm, and letting the poor woman breathe.

“Of course,” she shifted, clearing her throat. I was overbearing, and I knew it, but Cori wasn’t complaining. She also wasn’t backing down. “Just whenever.” I took another step toward her and she backed into the wall, letting out a yelp when she hit it. The look on her face was nothing short of determined but her eyes read differently. Her eyes were fucking terrified. What had the poor woman been through to be so scared? Cori was fine in public, but in The Dog House alone, she looked like she was afraid I would eat her.

I bet she’s delicious.

“When do you get off? I’m not letting you weasel out of dinner.” I positioned myself closer, bracing on the wall next to her head. Cori’s eyes dragged over my body again and her tongue darted over her lips.

“Five.” She slid out of the space I’d caged her in and I fought a groan. I had no fucking clue what I was doing, but the fact that her body and intoxicating smell just walked away made me need to chase her. “But I’ll need to shower and change before I go anywhere.” Her in the shower was an image I didn’t need right then. Like I wasn’t already hard as hell following her around, now I had the image of her in the shower. Cori propped herself on the counter daring me to come closer again. “Do I need to wear anything specific?” I had no idea where we were going so I didn’t know what to tell her, but her tone made me want to have her skip the clothes entirely. I only shrugged.

“Text me your address. I’ll pick you up at six.” Cori nodded, moving back for me to pass her. I made it to the door, despite wanting to take her on the counter. Hell, I’d be happy to touch her at all.

“I don’t do this.” Her voice made me freeze. It wasn’t sad, just serious, “I don’t bring men into my life, our lives.” I watched her swallow, staring at the blank computer. She said it like a threat, telling me not to fuck this up. Twenty-four hours and I was done.

“I don’t take women on dates. So, we can commiserate about the similarities later.” A smile tugged at her lips and I quit fighting the urge. The space between us vanished, leaned over the counter, close to her face and kissed her forehead softly. The move shocked me, I wasn’t the gentle kind of guy, but Cori looked so scared. I wanted so much more but left it at a kiss. Cori watched me walk out, I felt her eyes boring into my back, like the day before. What was it about this woman I just met making me crazy? It took considerable effort to not throw her over my shoulder and drag her back to my bed. If I was ever lucky enough to get her in my house, she wouldn’t be leaving. Once I was out of her sight, I adjusted myself. Being near her made me all hot and hard. Damn it.