Page 69 of Text Me Baby One More Time

“You’re not?”

“No!” I nearly shout. “We made out last Friday and I stayed the night at his house—in a separate bedroom, though—but that’s it. No other funny business. The only action I got was from Steve.”

“And Steve is?”

“His pug.”

She pushes herself off the barstool, slamming her hand down on the countertop. “He has a pug?! You go marry that manright now, Denver!”

Laughing, I busy myself with flipping my pancake onto my own plate and slathering some butter on the sweet deliciousness. Forgoing the syrup, I rip off a piece and stuff it in my mouth.

“I can’t marry him. I haven’t slept with him yet—what if he sucks in bed?”

She blushes. “You want to though.”

“Huh?” I glance up to my sister, my mouth full of food, though that doesn’t stop it from hanging open at her words.

“You want to,” she repeats. “Sleep with him, I mean. Even after he hurt you, you still love him.”

“Ido notlove him.I just…I think he’s changed in the last five or so years. I’m not entirely opposed to giving him a second chance.”

I can feel her eyes on me and do my best not to feed into the attention, tearing my pancake apart and stuffing piece after piece into my mouth.

“Do you think that’s wise?” Monty says, and I note the worry in her voice.

I push off the counter with a heavy sigh, sliding my plate away from me, my appetite lost. “Probably not, but worst thing that happens is he breaks my heart again. I already know how to clean that mess up, so maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, Denny.”

“I know it is, but it’s giving me the courage I need to finally go after what I really want from him—sex. Besides, we could always just do the whole no-strings-attached thing. We don’t have to turn it into something more.”

She laughs dryly. “Don’t fall for that one. I did, and look where it got me.”

“Where? Happy as hell? Madly in love with a walking, talking sex machine? Don’t even try to complain about that.”

Her cheeks heat again and she ducks her head. “Hush.”

I gather our plates and rinse them off in the sink while Monty cleans up the mess I made with the batter.

“For what it’s worth,” she starts as she slides the butter back into the fridge. “I think you have a really good judge of character. If you think this guy of yours has changed, maybe he has. Go after it. See where it leads. Lord knows you need to find yourself a man and settle down soon before you become an old spinster.”

“Oh my gosh, you catch yourself a man and suddenly we all need to immediately follow suit.”

“I caught myself a mananda kid.”

“How’s that going anyway? Playing mom?”

She sighs contentedly. “It’s amazing. I love the little rascal, and his dad.”

“I love seeing you so happy, Monty. It’s about time.”

“I agree.” She tucks the syrup away and closes the cabinet. “Now explain this…exchange you’re doing for a job.”

“Ah, yes, that.” I load the plates and skillet into the dishwasher before turning to her. “Well, I promised him I’d be his date to some charity events and to the wedding—which, by the way, you’re coming to—in exchange for him giving me an exclusive for the paper. He’s notorious for not doing interviews, so it’s kind of a big deal, like get me that promotion I’ve been after for months kind of big deal.”

“That one with the cushy office?”

“That’s the one, sis.” I shoot a finger gun in her direction. “A few measly dates aretotallyworth the exclusive.”

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