Page 71 of Too Good to Be True
“Did you honestly think this was just about sex?”
“Somehow this conversation seems backward.”
He chuckled, but his laughter didn’t reach his eyes. “If sex was all I was after, I could have gotten that elsewhere.”
“Like with Britney.” She’d phrased it as a fact rather than a question.
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Seriously? Have you looked in a mirror lately? I mean really looked?” She’d turned his words on him, and he broke out with a grin.
“Touché.”
“I talked to Eric this morning.”
His grin disappeared. “I figured.”
She shifted sideways to face him full on. “He was very understanding when I canceled our date.”
“That’s good.” He averted his gaze and took a slug of water.
“It seems he was tipped off that I might already be seeing someone, although he didn’t know who that someone was.”
He met her gaze again and didn’t flinch. “I tipped him off.”
“Why?”
“Because, like I told you, I didn’t want you going out with him.”
“Why?” she repeated.
“I thought I showed you last night.”
She swallowed hard, remembering all the things they’d done.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your conversation with Eric? He completely caught me off guard.”
“I’m sorry. When he told me he was going to ask you out, I saw green. I knew I had no right to discourage him, but I did it anyway. It was selfish of me, but I was really hoping you’d give me a chance.”
“This is so…unexpected. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
He took the water out of her hand and set both bottles on a box near the couch. Then he clasped her hands in his and gave them a squeeze.
“I didn’t expect this either, but I like how it feels, don’t you?”
“Are we talking about sex again?”
He laughed and shook his head.
“Sorry. It’s been a long time for me.”
“Since you’ve had sex?”
“Since everything. I haven’t had a relationship since Cole left. I’ve dated some, but nothing ever came close to a real relationship. I feel out of practice.”
“That’s okay. You won’t be tested on this stuff.”
She smiled. “My sister said the same thing.”
