Page 62 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

This was where we had a conversation and got to know each other. It was also the thing I sucked at. Like small talk? What the hell was that?

“OK, well…” He looked surreptitiously at his phone. Great, the guy was bored already. “What is the theme song of your life right now?”

“What?”

I blinked, the question having come out of nowhere so I definitely didn’t have an answer for it.

Which had me thinking.

“Where the hell…?” I reached over and tipped his phone down so I could see the screen. “Twenty seven questions for next level dates?”

“Hey.” He was about to give an inspired defence of researching what to say on a date, but the woman reappeared with our drinks. They were set in front of us and we smiled and thanked her. Rhett leaned forward when she turned to go. “Defend you from that dickhead you dated? I can do that as easily as breathing. Need a fuse changed, a door rehung? I’m your guy. But sitting around and talking about…” His hands swam through the air. “Pretty much anything else, I suck at.” His phone was twisted back and forth. “That’s what the internet is for.”

“You researched this?” I’m not sure why I was giggling, but the thought of seeing the big firefighter looking up conversation starters loosened something inside me. My hand went around the beer glass and I took a sip, recoiling the minute it hit my palette. “That’s supposed to be sweet and fruity?” Hoppy watched me with rapt interest, his tail wagging as soon as he had my attention. “Hoppy, you did me dirty.”

“I woke up this morning thinking I was going to have an exciting day of mowing the lawn and catching up on laundry,” he said. “The other day, before I came by your work, I rehearsed what I was going to say over and over.”

“I thought I was the only one that did that.”

He smiled then, making me wonder what the hell he needed to practise for. It was so bright girls would be falling at his feet even if he recited the periodic table backwards.

“No girl’s ever going to want me for my small talk,” he said, staring into my eyes. “I’m much better at listening than talking about the weather.” I felt like I saw something real, something raw, then. “Part of me is too damn impatient. I just want to get to the good part.”

“What?”

Before he could answer, the proprietor reappeared.

“Were you interested in ordering some food?”

No, I wanted to snap, even as my stomach grumbled. Instead, we both perused the menu and put our order in. When we were finally alone again, I watched Hoppy run back to the bar with his owner, then turned to Rhett.

“The good stuff?” I couldn’t keep the betrayal from my voice. “Like having sex?”

He blinked and then smiled slowly.

“Sex is definitely part of that, but… most of all, it’s that moment when you find a rhythm with a woman.” He shook his head. “Outside of the bedroom,” he said hurriedly. His focus shifted, looking over my shoulder to the lake and the forest beyond. “When you know how the other person takes their coffee and when to get it for them. What they like for breakfast and when it’s safe to give them a kiss. When it gets comfortable, y’know?”

I just stared for a second, almost able to see what he described. The two of us moving around in his sun-drenched kitchen, orbiting slowly until finally we collided. I knew exactly how his arms would feel, what it would be like to feel pressed against his chest, his hand rumpling my hair.

“No.” I said that honestly. “That’s never really happened to me, but…” I took a sip of my Coke. “But I want it to.”

Chapter32

Rhett

“Well, if small talks off the table…” Katie’s lips quirked up in a smile. “What topic could you talk about for five minutes straight, without any kind of preparation?”

I sucked in a breath, already knowing my answer, but then forced myself to pause.

“Did you get that question from a list to use on a date?”

“Nope.” Her grin was everything. I felt this weird tightness in my chest each time I saw it, yet somehow I wanted to lean into that ache, not away from it. “It’s what I always wish presenters would ask when you have to do those horrible ice breaker activities.”

“Name one thing that’s interesting about you?” We both grimaced at that example. “Alright, gym or firefighting.” I shrugged, sure she wouldn’t want to hear a word about either one of those things. “Take your pick.”

Her lips twitched and she turned to the dog.

“What do you think, Hoppy? Gym?” The dog just panted, completely transfixed by Katie. “Or firefighting?” He barked at that, sealing my fate.

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