Page 61 of Breaking Emily's Rules
“You have to admit, though, you and this guy. I mean, what else can go wrong? Don’t answer that. Seriously, you may have just met the only guy in the state who would turn down a deal like that.” Rachel reached for another chocolate chip cookie and took a bite. “Which means this is worse than I thought.”
“How could it get any worse?” It wasn’t like Stone could be Mr. Right. He was Mr. Right Now. And Mr. Right Now didn’t want to deliver the goods.
“No, I mean he must really like you.”
I reached for a cookie and dunked it in the milk. “Sure he does. That’s why he didn’t want to have sex with me.”
“No, he likes you so that’s why he doesn’t want to have sex.”
“You’re not making any sense. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones. I swear your baby is sucking out all your brain power.”
Rachel nodded, held up a finger and took a gulp of milk. “He’s trying to not be an idiot guy.”
“Well, he failed!”
I’d worn my sexiest come-hither dress and he’d told me to go home.
“It’s a good thing. Don’t worry. He’ll come around.” Rachel flipped the TV on and slid the DVD in.
“He better hurry before I change my mind. I don’t want to wait. I want to get this over with!”
Rachel nearly spit out her milk. “No. You don’t. This is the fun part. The chase.”
“I don’t want a chase. I’ve got my rules, and I’m ready. And after the other night, I thought he was game. But no.” I sat back and groaned. “I don’t even knowwhyI like him.”
“Probably because you took one look at him. And then there is the man in uniform thing. And the Pilots and Paws thing.”
“Yeah.”
I stayed silent for a moment, thinking about Stone. With him, it wasn’t just one thing, like a hard body. It was the eyes, the smile, everything lined up and put together right where it should be. It was a wonder he didn’t have women lined up for miles. Then again, maybe he did. What did I know about my teacher? He sat next to me and grunted, occasionally smiled his dimpled smile and kissed me like he had a graduate degree in the sport.
Rachel, remote control in hand, pointed it at me. “And another thing, Em. Your rules.”
“What about them?”
“Get rid of them.”
“Absolutely not. The rules are good. Why? Is there something missing from it?”
I resisted the urge to pull it out of my purse and see if I’d missed something vital. But no, I’d thought of everything.
“A list is for grocery shopping. I mean, I’m glad you’re changing up your old rules, but why not go for broke and throw all rules out the window?”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t do that.”
Rules for dating made me feel safe. They gave order to my world. Why didn’t anyone get that?
“I guess you’re not quite ready for no rules.” Rachel pressed Play.
Within moments, the credits toWhen Harry Met Sallyrolled across her big screen TV.
“But if you want to step outside of your comfort zone, you need to lose the rules.”
“Next you’ll be telling me I should just do what feels good.”
“What I’d like to see you do is stop trying to control everything. Some things just have to happen, like love. Follow your heart.”
“Fine, but you sound like a greeting card commercial.”
