Page 59 of Suddenly Dating
“It didn’t go at all. He left to go look at a boat before I could meet him.”
“You’re kidding!”
“I wish I was.”
“What are you going to do?”
Harry shrugged. He’d been so desperate to escape Mrs.Cantrell that he hadn’t really thought about it. “Not sure. Maybe talk to Mallory about it. In the meantime, I’ll focus on turning things around for you. With some coaching, I think I can get you ready for Birta in a week.”
Lola snorted. “There’s not enough time in the world.”
“Yes there is,” Harry said, and teased a strand of her hair from draping over her eye. “With my expert people skills, Birta might actually learn to like you. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always me.”
“Shut up,” Lola said, trying not to laugh.
“Impossible,” Harry said, and pulled Lola’s hand free and twirled her out of his embrace, and then back again, and anchored his arm around her waist. Tightly.
Lola frowned at him. “I can’t breathe.”
Harry bent his head and murmured into her ear, “Are you afraid to be close to handsome me?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. I’m afraid your ego will suck up all the oxygen in the area and I’ll suffocate.”
She smelled so fresh. She reminded him of the way the air smelled in spring—crisp and fragrant. “If you’re going to date me, baby, you have to be close. A man likes to know his sex appeal is appreciated by the opposite sex.”
Lola smiled, lifted their clasped hands to her mouth, and bit him. “Stop calling me baby,” she said as he yelped. “You don’t need me to appreciate your sex appeal—you seem to be doing a fine job for everyone.”
“Your dating skills are awful, you know that?”
“That’s no surprise,” she said cheerfully. “I don’t really date.”
“What do you mean you don’t date? You’ve been divorced more than a year.”
“And your point?”
“Surely you’ve dated in the last year.”
Lola sniffed and shifted her gaze away from him. “Why is everyone always so concerned about who is dating who?”
Harry stopped their gentle swaying. “Lola, no way,” he said incredulously. “You’re not dating?” A dancing couple bumped into them at that moment, pushing Lola into him. He steadied her and cupped her face. “Seriously?” he asked.
“What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that it’s a very long time to go without... having your, uh...” He tried to think of how to say it. “Your needs met.”
Lola’s brows dipped into a vee. “Myneedsmet?”
“You know.Needs,” he said. Harry didn’t trust himself to say more. But he was fascinated by the idea Lola hadn’t had sex in a year, and glanced down without meaning to. His gaze landed on her breasts.
Lola punched him on the arm. “Wellthat’skind of personal.”
“I’m sorry,” he said instantly. “I’m just surprised. I can’t imagine going a year without it.”
She clucked her tongue at him. “Who said I was without?”
Harry arched a brow.
Lola managed to worm her way out of his embrace. “So I guess you just jumped right into the sack the minute you cut your ex loose, is that it?”
