Fencing You In Read Free Page A

special,” Katie Sue said.
    Jenny nodded as Katie Sue took the bear and hugged it. Jenny picked up a big notebook with a construction paper brown bear on the front of it with BARRY written across the top.
    “We draw a picture of something we did with Barry,” Jenny said as she flipped through the empty pages. “And then we tell the class everything we did for the week.” She looked at Tess. “Can we take Barry out for pizza when he gets to stay with us?”
    Tess laughed. Jenny would choose pizza over anything else when it was her turn to pick what they would eat when they went out. “Sure.” Tess patted Barry’s head. “Maybe we can even take him to a movie.”
    Jenny clapped her hands and bounced up and down on her toes. “Can Katie Sue and almost-Uncle Gage come, too?”
    “That sounds like fun,” Gage said as he grinned at Tess. “It’s a date.”
    Katie Sue and Jenny squealed again.
    Tess nearly groaned. Whether she liked it or not, it looked like she was headed toward going out one night with Gage.
    “The girls will be good chaperones,” Gage said with a wink.
    “Funny,” Tess said. “Aren’t the adults supposed to be the chaperones?”
    Gage moved in closer to Tess while the girls made plans. “We don’t have to wait until Jenny’s turn to have Barry to go on a date. Why not tomorrow night?”
    Tess frowned up at him. “It won’t really be a date, and I’ve already given you my many reasons why I won’t go out with you.”
    “They didn’t sound like reasons to me.” Gage shook his head with a playful grin. “They sounded like excuses.”
    “Well, whatever they sounded like,” Tess said with determination, “the answer is still ‘no.’”
    “We’ll see.” He gave her a wink before he crouched down to talk with both girls.
    Tess watched for a moment. It was so obvious that he was good with kids, something she hadn’t expected.
    They spent time looking over the classroom. After talking with the teacher, Gage glanced at Tess then looked at the girls. “Why don’t you ask your mom if you can join Katie Sue and me for pizza tonight, after the open house?”
    Tess’s mouth dropped open as the girls started jumping up and down with enthusiasm. “It’s a school night,” she finally said.
    “We won’t take long,” Gage said. “You have to eat dinner, right?”
    “Please, Mommy.” Jenny’s eyes were wide with excitement. “It will be so much fun.”
    Tess shook her head but said “All right.” She looked at Gage. “But we need to be home by seven.”
    “That’s enough time to eat pizza.” Gage gave her a grin. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
    The girls started leading them from the classroom. “You don’t play fair,” Tess said with a frown.
    He shrugged. “It’s just pizza with the girls, Tess.”
    She thought about it for a moment and how excited the girls were. Maybe she was overreacting. “I guess you’re right.”
    Gage smiled. “That’s my girl.”
    “Humph.” Tess tilted her chin. “I’m not your girl.”
    “Not yet,” Gage said with confidence in his voice. “But you will be.”
    Her eyes widened. “You are rather arrogant, aren’t you?”
    “I just know what I want, Tess,” he said in a low tone, “And I want you.”
     “It’s no wonder women keep slapping you.” She frowned. “All the more reason not to go out with you.”
    His eyes glittered with sensuality as they walked outside. “Just give me a chance, Tess.”
    She eyed him. “Ha.”
    “Good enough for me,” he said with a sexy grin.
    She found herself looking up at the clear blue sky and shaking her head. She wanted to go out with Gage more than he’d ever know. It was crazy to even feel that way about the guy.
    Gage laughed and rested his hand on her shoulder. She brought her gaze to him as she shivered from his touch.
    Yes, she was definitely crazy.
     

Chapter 3
     
    Mario’s Pizza was a large place with arcade games along with a ball pit filled with colorful plastic