“Do you want me to make an excuse to leave?” she asked. “I can come up with something.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I…” It would be just his luck to have Greg make some excuse to see her home.
Poppy nibbled on her lip. “What … are you … can you handle this?”
He looked back at the house and shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t … know. How are you … handling it?”
Poppy sighed. “There aren’t any single females here, so I’m good.”
He smiled and took a step toward her. “But if there were?”
“I don’t know, Klaus. I … I’m not trying to make this hard for you or anything. This is all new to me.”
“You could give me a chance,” Klaus said.
“That’s the thing, I could give you a chance, but the moment our parents find out. Then … everything will be up to them.”
“Exactly, and then I don’t know how to deal with them, and it becomes this whole big thing.”
“So, how about you and I try this out in secret?” Klaus asked.
Being in secret had to be better than nothing at all. At least, that was what he was convincing himself would be better than nothing.
“I … I… Do you think that would work?”
“Don’t you?”
“I have no idea. All of this is so new to me. I don’t know what to think.” She rubbed at her temple.
“Then let’s agree to take it a day at a time,” he said.
“A day at a time?”
“Yeah, and we learn to trust each other. I prove to you I’m not as big of a dick as you think I am.”
“That Ithinkyou are?” She burst out laughing. “No offense, Klaus. Iknowyou’re a giant one. I was on the receiving end of it all.” She slapped him on the shoulder. “We better get inside before they start wondering what’s going on here.”
“Yeah, because it is important for them to know every single little detail of our lives, right?”
“You’re soon to be Alpha,” Poppy said. “You tell me.”
“I’m not soon to be Alpha. There is a process, and I’m not going to take over from my dad until he’s good and ready.”
She giggled. “Nervous?”
“No. Of course not. I don’t get nervous. I don’t even believe in being nervous.”
He loved to hear her laugh.
“Sure, Klaus. Keep on telling yourself that.”
This was progress. It had to be.
“Come on, Poppy. You’ve got to give me the benefit of the doubt. That kiss was something, and I don’t seem to recall you pushing me away.” He’d tried not to bring it up. Attempted to be the bigger wolf, but when it came to Poppy, that wasn’t him. He needed her to see reason.
She burst out laughing, but for a comeback, she didn’t give him anything.
Chapter Five