Page 51 of Just for the Plot

After he takes off, I say, “Why does he treat me like one of his students?”

“Probably because you have the maturity level of one of them.”

I chuckle. “You’re right about that.”

I move toward my closet and pull out a black top. “What about this with my black leather pants?”

“Feels very Sandy fromGrease. Don’t you have a simple dress? Maybe something with a decent neckline that doesn’t make your bosom defy gravity?”

“My bosom is one of the benefits I have to offer. I should show themoff.”

“Not to this guy, not yet.”

“What do you mean, not to this guy?” I ask, turning toward her with a red dress in one hand and a light green one in the other.

“I was looking him up, and well, he kind of seems like a player. I’m honestly surprised that Bennett suggested him, because Cougar could hurt you. Plus, with a name like Cougar, do you really think he’s the type that settles down?”

“First of all, I’m not going into this date looking to get married tomorrow. I’m looking to have fun with the possibility that maybe it could lead to more. Second of all, Cougar is a hard name to pass off. I’m unsure why his parents went in that direction. Needless to say, I think he’s owning it and we shouldn’t prejudge him. He sounded nice in his text messages—”

“He’s not picking you up at your apartment. You’re meeting him at a bar.”

“That’s just safety. No one picks people up at their apartments or houses unless it’s been at least five dates. Lots of psychos out there; can’t give them clearance to an address just yet. You would know this if you didn’t have a slutty one-night stand with a baseball coach.”

She rolls her eyes. “It was not slutty. It was beautiful.”

“He spanked you several times.”

“Shhhh…” she says, looking over her shoulder. “Ryland doesn’t like it when I share specifics about our love life.”

“Ew, don’t call it ‘love life.’”

“What am I supposed to call it?”

“You can say Ryland doesn’t like you to share the way you two fuck.”

“Yeah, I’m not going to say that. ‘Love life’ is romantic.”

“‘Love life’ made me throw up in my mouth.”

“Either way, I think you need to have a plan. Is this another fling for you? Or is this a new chapter?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess we shall see how it pans out.” Deep down, I sort of want this to be the start of something, not a random hookup, because I’m ready for that. I’m ready for something so much more, but telling Gabby that, she’ll…ugh, she’ll just take it too seriously and probably drive me nuts, asking me if I’m in love every two seconds, so I’m keeping those feelings close to my chest for now. I hold the dress options up and say, “Which one?”

“Light green.”

“That was going to be my choice, too, but I need help zipping it. Think I can find someone on the street to help me?”

“Ask Bennett.”

“Doesn’t he have a game?”

“It ended really early. He should be home by now.”

“Really?” I ask, surprised.

“Yeah, text him.”

I pick up the phone and shoot him a quick text, asking if he’s home, and when he replies almost immediately that he is, I know I’ve found my helper.