Page 10 of The Rules of Dating a Younger Man
After a few moments of silence, I prodded, “You’re not gonna ask my age?”
“Nope.” He shook his head as his eyes seared into mine.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t give a shit how old you are. You can tell me, if you want. But it’s not gonna change anything.”
I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair. “You’re not even gonna try to guess?”
“You don’t look any older than thirty-five. That’s the only opinion I have on the matter.”
“What if you found out I was twenty years older than you?”
He crossed his arms. “You’re clearly not.”
“You’re right. But that wouldn’t matter?”
“It wouldn’t,” he answered without hesitation.
“Well, it should.”
Brayden narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“Because there’s a huge difference in life experiences with that much of a gap.”
“From what you just told me, the experiences you’ve been having with men your age haven’t gone so well.” He arched a brow. “Have you ever dated a younger man?”
“No.”
“So you have no experience by which to judge us. I volunteer as tribute to show you what it’s like. I think you need to try it before you knock it.”
“You won’t be knocking anything,” I taunted.
He laughed. “You’re lucky I get right up when someone shoots me down. Most of the time, I’m even more motivated.”
I shook my head. “What am I gonna do with you?” He’d opened his mouth when I added, “Get your dirty mind out of the gutter.”
“Alright, I’ll be serious.” He played with his napkin. “You said your stepdaughter is around my age. And your husband was seventeen years older. That must have been an interesting dynamic between you and her when you first came on the scene.”
I stared off, thinking about those early days with Caitlin. “It wasn’t easy at first. Her mother had passed away when she was ten. I came into her life when she was a young teenager.”
“She’s lucky to have you, especially since both of her parents have passed now.”
“Our relationship was a little tumultuous at first. But I understood why it was tough for her. A younger woman moving in? No child is gonna have an easy time with that. But she gradually began to get along with me—and to trust me. Over time, I took on more of a motherly role. Now we’re super close, and I’m extremely grateful.” I smiled. “She’s pretty much my best friend.”
He rested his chin in his hand and grinned. “That’s awesome.”
“Anyway…” I took a sip of my wine. “Have you ever dated an older woman?”
“Nope.” He scratched his chin. “Well, not that I know of.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I might have slept with a few women in my life whose age I didn’t know.”
My stomach sank. “Oh.”
“Does that bother you?” He frowned. “I’m just being honest. But if it makes you feel better, I’m long over the one-night-stand thing. I’m tired of it and really would like to find the one.”