Page 43 of Body Shot

But what?” I scan her face.

“It’s not . . . easy with him. And it’s not . . .”

What? It’s not what? I wait for her to continue.

“It’s not hot.”

Ah. More tension eases out of my muscles, replaced with a different tension as blood moves south. I edge closer, bumping my pelvis with hers. “Not like with me?”

“Yes.” She sighs again and drops her eyes to my chest. “Not like with you.”

I tip her chin up with firm fingers so she has to look at me again. “I don’t want you to be with him.”

What am I saying? I never say things like this.

“We don’t even know each other. You can’t tell me things like that.”

“I just did. Damn, it sounds crazy to me too, Hayden. Get rid of that guy.”

“I can’t get rid of him. He picked me up and brought me here.”

“I’ll get rid of him.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Sure I can. It’s my bar.”

“Beck!”

“Okay, okay, being a dick again.” I rub my face. “Okay, let him take you home. I’ll come over. Oh wait, I can’t. I’m working. Goddammit!”

She smiles and goes up on her toes to kiss my bearded cheek. “Calm down. Nothing’s going to happen with Will and me. I already knew that.” Her smile goes crooked. “But I didn’t think anything was going to happen with you and me either.” She studies me. “I really don’t have time for dating.”

“Then why are you out with him?”

She sucks briefly on her bottom lip. “I don’t know. It was nice that he liked me enough to call me, so I thought I should give it a shot. Carrie and my family keep telling me I should get out more.”

“Well, then, you’ll get out more. But it’ll be with me.”

“I thought you don’t date either.”

“I date. I just don’t get serious.” I try to relax my shoulders. “This doesn’t have to be serious.” All week I told myself I wasn’t going to call her or see her again. But when she walked into the bar, on a fucking date with some other guy, the unreasonable anger that flared up inside me made me realize I’m bullshitting myself.

I want more of her.

“Your family is right,” I announce.

Her forehead creases.

“You should get out more. You work too hard.”

Her lips lift at the corners. “You say that after knowing me a total of, um, five days?”

“Yes. You were going to work all day Sunday last weekend. Oh, hey, how did your presentation go?” Something else I was wondering all week but tried to put out of my mind.

“It went well.”

“Did you get the funding?”

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