Page 4 of Reckless Kiss

Chapter 2

Six months, four days, and twelve hours later...

“Ineed your help, Leo.”

Jeffry Thomas was a genius so if he needed my help it could only mean one thing.

“What’s her name?”

He waved me off. “Names don’t matter. Moves matter. More importantly right now,wordsmatter. How do I start a conversation with a woman?”

Jeffry, I should note, was terrible with women. He’s a nice guy just...clueless. All that brainpower was reserved for advanced calculations and projections. Absolutely none of it was allotted for social interaction. Specifically, of the female nature.

Despite this setback, Jeffry had found not one, buttwolovely women to date in his thirty years on this planet. A shock to everyone, himself included.

To be fair he was typically so consumed with his work he rarely had time to devote to such frivolous things as relationships.

“How did you meet this woman?”

He fell onto the couch. In front of him a pizza box stood open and half empty. Beside it was a two-liter of soda, also half empty. Jeffry was also not the healthiest person.

“At work.”

“Jeffry...”

“Not like that,” he sighed. “We work in the same building. I see her in the cafeteria or at the food truck. Sometimes on the lawn where most of us eat.”

Ah ...Admiration from afar. Now that was much more like the man I knew. “The next time you’re in line at the food truck make a comment about the weather. If she engages you in the slightest, ask her what her favorite dish is.”

Honestly, it wasn’t that hard.

“And then?”

I rolled my eyes. “Ask if she’d like to sit with you. Smile. Be friendly but not creepy. Pretend she’s me.”

He grimaced. “Speaking of you. How long is this dry spell going to last? It’s like you’ve been replaced by a pod person.”

Luckily football was on. Otherwise I’d be forced to actually have this conversation instead of brushing it off. “I’m just taking a break. It takes a lot to be as talented and giving as I am. Occasionally I need some time off to focus on myself.”

And spend a lot of hours in the shower reliving my one and only night with Esme Brown.

I occasionally met up with my dates more than once. It really just depended on their personality and what they were looking for. Who was I to turn down a few weeks of sex with a willing partner?

But Esme was clear. She needed me for one night. I was not to call, email, or text. As far as she was concerned I didn’t exist.

If only it worked both ways.

A night with Esme was like spending a night in paradise, only to be kicked out at dawn. I’d tasted the fruit, sampled the drugs. I wanted more but couldn’t have it.

And that, I was quite sure, only made me want her more.

Fucking psychology.

“I have no memory of you ever needing six months to sort yourself out, Leo. Seriously. What the fuck is going on? Did you meet someone?”

“No,” I said flatly butfuck.If Jeffry, human robot, could tell, then everyone else probably could too.

“Who is she? Was she one of your dates or someone who has no idea what kind of friendly services you offer?”

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