A married man was visiting his girlfriend when she requested he shaves his beard off. "Oh Paddy." she said, "Please shave it off, I want to see all of your lovely face." "I can't," said Paddy, "My wife

A married man, Paddy, was visiting his girlfriend when she made a request that caught him off guard.

"Oh Paddy," she said sweetly, running her fingers through his beard. "Please shave it off. I want to see all of your lovely face."

Paddy hesitated, rubbing his chin. "I can't," he replied. "My wife loves this beard. She says it makes me look distinguished, strong, and—"

"And like a lumberjack who lost his axe?" she interrupted with a smirk.

Paddy chuckled nervously. "Look, darling, if I go home clean-shaven, she’ll know something’s up!"

His girlfriend pouted. "Oh, come on, Paddy! She won’t even notice!"

Paddy sighed. "Oh, trust me, she will. Last time I trimmed it just a little, she stared at me for five minutes and said, ‘Who’s this strange man in my house, and what have you done with my husband?’"

His girlfriend laughed. "You're exaggerating."

Paddy shook his head. "Am I? Last year, I tried sneaking home late one night, and she recognized my footsteps on the driveway from inside the house. The woman has senses sharper than a bloodhound!"

His girlfriend rolled her eyes. "Fine, Paddy. Keep your precious beard. But at least tidy it up a little—it’s getting out of control."

Paddy grinned. "I tried. My wife stopped me and said, ‘You touch that beard, and you’ll be sleeping in the shed. And not even the nice shed—the one where the lawnmower leaks oil on everything!’"

His girlfriend sighed. "Alright, alright, I get it. The beard stays."

Paddy nodded. "Good choice. Besides…" he winked, "it’s the only disguise I have left!"

And with that, he gave her a playful kiss, his beard tickling her face.