Page 20 of Off the Grid

“How about just a general no thanks?” I smile and lift my eyebrows.

He snorts. “No wonder your friends are planning out your love life.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“It means you have a man standing before you blatantly flirting with you, and you don’t even realize it.” His eyes hold mine and heat suddenly rushes to my cheeks.

I’m not good at this. Who is?

But I used to be. Isn’t that what bugs me more?

“Maybe I assumed you were just a nice guy who needed a break from his friends just like I’m a nice girl who needed the same.”

He hisses. “Wow. Is my game that weak?”

I laugh. God, it feels good to laugh. “No. Your game is perfect. You’re funny. You’re good-looking. You’re—”

“Would you look at that. You’re finally flirting back.”

“No. I’m not. I’m—”

He barks out a laugh, his dimples deepening. “I think I should be offended by that.”

“You shouldn’t. I’m just . . .” I shake my head and groan at my inability to speak.

“You’re just, what?”

It’s okay to flirt back, Cami. Isabella’s crazy nods over his shoulder say as much.

“It’s a long story.” I empty the rest of my glass, a refill needed now more than ever.

“Stories always are, aren’t they?”

“Mmm.”

It’s like I gave myself permission to flirt, and now I can’t form words.

“I’ll tell you what. You’re in need of rescuing from your friends and you were right, I’m in a bit of a situation where I need to be saved myself.”

“You’re in need of saving? I highly doubt it.”

“Not so much saved but more helped out.”

“Helped out?”

“Yep. I’m in a bit of a sticky situation.”

“Then unstick yourself.”

“The lady has jokes.”

“Always.” I nod. “So what exactly is it that you need help with?”

“Well, truth be told, it’s my fault. I let my ego get the best of me.” He nods, head angled to the side and eyes laser focused on me.

“Is that so?”

“Yep. We were all shooting the shit, having some beers, one thing led to another, and I might have bragged that I could get any woman in this pub.”