Read Online DANIEL'S GIRL: ROMANCING AN OLDER MAN by Katherine Cachitorie, Mallory Monroe - Free Book Online Page A

off limits to any smooth Joe that comes along?”
    “And?” he asked.
    “And how you’re off limits to any
smooth Jane that comes along?”
    He smiled at how she phrased that, but
she wasn’t getting to the heart of the matter.   “And?”
    Nikki hesitated.   “And how marriage isn’t in the cards for
us.   You went down that road before, it
was a disaster, and you won’t do it again.”
    “No matter how deeply--” Daniel
prompted her.
    “No matter how deeply you fall in love
with me, you’re not going to marry me.”   There she said it, she thought.   It wasn’t as tough as it felt.
    Daniel, however, wasn’t fully
convinced. “You remember me discussing it with you, but do you accept that,
Nikki?”
    “At first it sounded kind of harsh to
me, to be honest.   Why would you judge me
base on what your wife did?   And besides,
we don’t have a contentious relationship. We have a wonderful relationship.”
    “Yeah, my ex and I had a wonderful
relationship too.   In the beginning.   But things can change, Nikki.   Every relationship I’ve ever had started out
wonderfully.   But the end is what I
dread.   So right now there is no way I’m
marrying you or anybody else.   You
understand that?”
    Nikki nodded her head.   “I understand that.”
    “And can you live with that?”   He held his breath.  
    Nikki hesitated again.   “I can live with it, yes,” she said.   Although a part of her was just certain his
mind was going to change.   In time, he
would change his tune.   No matter how
adamant he was right now, she could not see him treating her based on how some
other woman, or women, treated him.   And
besides, he still had to prove himself to her too.   She wasn’t ready to marry anybody either
right now.
    “But the fact that we’re together
now,” Daniel said, “and we’re going to try and make this relationship work,
carries certain responsibilities.   I
represent you, and you represent me.”
    Nikki smiled.   “Okay.   Now what does any of that have to do with being on this car lot?”
    “You need wheels, young lady.”
    “I told you I ride the bus.”
    “And I told you that you represent
me,” Daniel said.   “And I don’t ride a
bus.”
    Nikki smiled and then laughed.   She got his point.   But she was still apprehensive.   She looked around, at the shiny new
cars.   “But a Lexus, Daniel?” she asked.
    “Yes, a Lexus.   It’s a good, reliable car.”
    “But it’s an expensive car.”
    “You let me worry about that,” he
said, and was about to get out of the car.   Then he stopped.   “And another
thing,” he said, looking at her.   “I want
you and Val to find a nicer apartment.”
    Nikki looked at him.   “What’s wrong with the one we have?”
    He didn’t respond.   Nikki knew what that meant.   “Okay, so you wouldn’t live there.   And I represent you now so I shouldn’t live
there.   And I probably wouldn’t stay
there either if I made your kind of money.   But since me and Val both work for a college newspaper that can only pay
us with limited college work-study funds, we can’t afford to live anywhere else
right now.   It’s convenient to school and
we like it.   So I’m going to stay put for
now.”
    Nikki didn’t want to be obstinate this
early in their relationship, but no way was she letting somebody put her in
some luxurious apartment that she couldn’t afford in a million years.   What if he became angry tomorrow and dumped
her?   How was she going to manage
then?   Her credit could suffer and even a
cheap apartment complex wouldn’t rent to her.   She had to draw a line.   Buying
her a car was one thing, but determining where she could live was an entirely
different matter.
    Daniel didn’t like it, and she could
tell he didn’t, but then he exhaled.   “Okay,” he said.   “Fair enough.”
    Nikki smiled.   “Now,” she said, “let’s go check out my ride.”
    She got out of the car without