Page 27 of Flirty Thirty

He drops his blond head, and I see his shoulder blades shaking with laughter. “If you want to think of it as an experiment, that’s fine. But it’s not about seeing if you’re marriage material.” He lifts his eyes. “If anything, I’d like to convince you to take a chance onme.”

I’m already taking a chance on him. Believe me, if he wasn’t so unique and interesting and surprising, I would’ve stopped us in our tracks the second I found out we wanted different things. But as I watch his thoughts roll around behind his eyes, listen to his breathing as he waits for my thoughts about this, I have to admit, he could be worth it. He already said he’d ask me out again, and I’ll say yes; I know I will. I’ll say yes to every time the question falls from his lips until the day we lose this electric spark. And I have a strong feeling that Cooper Sterling could be the guy who could rip my heart out if I let him anywhere near it. Maybe it’s a smart move to find out now while my heart is still solely mine.

“How do you do that?” I ask, narrowing my eyes and shaking my head at him. “How do you make such insane ideas sound…”

“Fun?” he offers, hope rising up in his expression.

“Logical.”

“Well,” he says, nodding to my empty glass. “The alcohol probably helped a little.”

“I don’t know.” I let out a breathless laugh. “I’m pretty sure you sobered me up, and I still think that you have a point.”

“Is that a yes?”

I tug at the hem of my dress, not ready to give him a yes or a no. “It’s an ‘I’ll sleep on it.’”

His mouth pulls into a slow smile, one that will weaken my every resolve if he keeps it up much longer. He claps his hands free from his food and starts to rise from the blanket. “Okay, let me give you the tour.”

“It’s not a yes, Cooper.”Yet.

“I know… but I figure showing off my buddy’s mansion could help nudge you off that fence you’re on.”

He holds his hand out for me, and after giving him a good long look, I take it. Maybe seeing more playrooms will help remind me that we are so not made for each other, and he’ll be easier to say no to, even though the tingles in my fingers from being in contact with his big, warm hands tell me otherwise.

11

Wack Verbal Contract

I pull at the knot in my tankini, trying to get it untangled before I toss it into a suitcase to join a pile of various wardrobe choices. A few minutes into my struggling, I slump onto the bed and fling it toward my dresser.

“I can’t do this,” I mutter for the third time since I’ve started packing. I took all night to sleep on it, all day at work to think about it, and still my head keeps teetering from one decision to the other. I’m half convinced that taking Cooper’s offer is a good idea, half convinced I have lost my mind.

All I want is to spend some time with the man. He’s attractive and handsome andseriously, the kissing…It’s my Achilles heel. As much as I try to talk myself into turning down his every advance, putting it into practice is so much harder.

I turn to Tom, who is curled up in the empty space of my suitcase, and scratch his black and white head. “It’s more about the house than the guy,” I tell him, falling to the low point of convincing my cat why staying with Cooper would be a good idea. “You should see this place, Tom. Indoor pool, private balcony, open bar… any girl woulddiefor a week like this.”

I don’t mention the company the vacation also provides because I’m determined to let my decision be Cooper-influence free. But if I were to mention it, it’d definitely be added to the pros column.

Tom leans his head into my hand and purrs so loudly I bet Kat will be in here any second to try to get in on the back rub. I let out a sigh and rest my head on the unorganized mess I plan on taking with me, if I decide to go. The main problem still exists, though; he wants to show me what married life would be like, but he doesn’tknowwhat it will be like. I don’t either, for that matter. I only know what I see, and he only knows what he’s seen. Our perception on the subject is so far off from one another, and I don’t see either of us changing our minds. I’d hate to indulge in the newness of what I can already feel is an exciting and addicting infatuation, only to get to the inevitable boredom a few months later. He may want that boredom, find excitement in something long term and promising. He wants a wife, a family, a settled life… things I don’t ever see for myself.

It’s dangerous and completely unfair. I know it is. I feel as if I’ve already gone down the road farther than I should have. Every time I talk myself into walking away, I see his smile, picture that dimple. I hear his laugh and wish he were near so I could tease and flirt my way into his head, because he sure as hell is in mine.

“Who am I kidding?” I say to my chubby cat. “This is so about the man.”

I pluck Tom from the suitcase and dump all the clothing at the foot of my bed. I’m stuffing this thing into the darkest corner of my closet where it can’t be found.

What I need is a little reminder of why I’m so set in my ways. I flick on Siri and ask her where the nearest club is. Having a night to innocently flirt with men who are just looking for a non-committal romp is the prescription I need for my Cooper addiction.

I’m not one to go off without my wingman, however, so before dedicating to the evening, I should send a message to Holland to see if she’s okay coming. It may not be the most fun place for an expectant mother, but my other choices require babysitters on short notice.

I trip over the pile of clothing I just spread all over my floor and bounce across my bed to get to my phone plugged in the charger. Just as I get a grip on it, Kat leaps up on my nightstand and jolts me backward. That kitten must get her skittish tendencies from her owner.

“Shush,” I tell them, even though my cats rarely mewl during my phone calls. Rolling to my back, I hold my phone over my head and swipe the screen on.

Cooper, 1 new message

Forgetting why I needed my phone in the first place, I open up the message, heart pounding as if my teenage self was in the company of Nick Carter.

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