Page 51 of I Wanna Text You Up

He put on a pair of jeans that cling to his legs just right and a navy blue jersey-style shirt. The first button is undone, giving the sexiest glimpse of the base of his throat. His stubble is now shaven down to a five o’clock shadow, and damn does that look suithim.

The ever-present baseball cap is sitting atop his head, this time facing the right way. I want to march over to him and spin it around. There’s no reason eyes like his should be hidden inshadow.

There are a couple girls crowding the table, wanting his attention. He’s not paying them any as his gaze meanders over my way, stopping only a moment to connect with myown.

I can see his lips pull up on one side then he’s moving on, canvassing the room onceagain.

“You come hereoften?”

“You actually think that line will work?” I don’t even bother to look at the random guy who just used the worst pickup line in the history of pickuplines.

“A guy’s gottatry.”

I huff out a laugh. “And that’s the best you can come upwith?”

I glance his way. The first thing I notice is the lack of a baseball cap, and I hate myself for even thinking about that right now because the guy standing in front of me is actually cute. His dark hair is disheveled in an artful way, grin plastered across his tan face, perfect white teeth shining out at me. He screams fratboy.

I don’t do fratboys.

“Hi,” hesays.

“Hi.”

“So, really, do you come here often? I haven’t seen youbefore.”

“Does that meanyoucome hereoften?”

He has the gall to look sheepish, like I don’t know he’s a shark in the water. “Sure, you could saythat.”

“Right.” I turn my attention back to the bartender, brushing the guyoff.

He doesn’t take thehint.

“What’s yourname?”

I tsk. “That isn’t information I hand out to justanyone.”

“Oh, darlin’, I’m not justanyone.”

I throw my head back in laughter. “Youhaveto stop with the cheesy lines. They’re not getting you anywhere rightnow.”

He stands a little straighter, his grin transforming into something more genuine. It instantly makes him moreattractive.

Sticking his hand out, he says, “Hi, I’m Tony. Care to join me for adrink?”

My eyes bounce between his hand and his face. When he’s not acting like he’s on the prowl, he seems like a decent guy, so I clasp his hand in mine. “Hi, Tony. Name’sZoe.”

“Zoe—beautiful name for a beautifulgirl.”

I shake my head at him, trying to fight off agrin.

He runs a hand through his already messy hair, his embarrassment sincere. “Shit, I did it again, huh? I’m sorry. I’m horrible atthis.”

“Firsttime?”

“Kind of. I just got out of a bad relationship and I’m trying to dive back into the dating game. This shit is hard, man, hence me resorting to the worst pickup linesimaginable.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re not so bad when you’re not trying sohard.”

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