Page 4 of Keeping it Casual
“Oh. Right.” He nods enthusiastically. “I understand.”
I scratch the back of my neck. “Well, this is mildly awkward.”
His eyebrows quirk up. “Mildly? You’re only giving this mild on the awkward spectrum?”
“Yeah, on the spectrum of awkward and embarrassing moments in my life, this actually only rates in the mild category.”
His smirk grows larger. “I’m interested to know what slides into mortifyingly awkward for you.”
“When I was sixteen, I had a complete wardrobe malfunction at swimming sports where my board shorts and I parted ways with the whole school watching.”
He nods knowingly. “Oh, I get it. I understand how this would only rate mild compared to flashing your junk to all your teachers and classmates.”
While he seems to have decided he’s amused by the whole incident, I decide it’s best to be honest. “Look, Jeremy, I’m…uh…sorry you overheard that. It just feels like since I moved here, everyone I’ve met has been trying to set me up with you.”
He’s still nodding. “They are my minions. I have trained them well.”
So he’s funny as well as incredibly good-looking. It’s pretty obvious why the whole town wants to set him up with someone.
“Yes, you definitely have. But I’m just out of a relationship. I don’t want to date at the moment.”
Jeremy’s eyebrows pull together. “Who says I want to go on a date with you? I mean, sure, I get it if someone’s into this tall, dark, and sexy thing you’ve got going on.” He gestures up and down my body. “I can see why some people might be interested, but personally, I’m into short, light-haired, and unsexy guys. That’s totally my thing. I want them as unsexy as you can find them.”
I try to wrestle the smile determined to overtake my lips but fail epically. “That’s your thing, is it?”
“Yep. Sadly, men don’t advertise themselves like that ontheir dating profiles. I’ve tried searching for the term unsexy, but I always get no matches.”
I let out a chuckle. “Shocking.”
“I know. So I have to resort to the old-fashioned method of making sure everyone in town tries to set me up with unsuspecting newcomers. I offer an incentive scheme where the person who manages to find me a date gets a free massage, so you can see why they’re all trying to lure you to me. I’m a physiotherapist, by the way, in case you think the massage thing is weird.”
“I already know you’re a physio. I’ve been informed by Vince, the guy who mows my lawns, that you do miracle work on shoulders.”
He gives me a wry grin. “I’m really sorry it’s reached the point where the sound of my name makes you want to turn into a human fireball.”
“That’s okay.” I huff a breath. “Uh…shall we try this again?” I hold out my hand. “I’m Dustin Knight.”
Jeremy takes my hand into his. For a second, I have this odd, unbalanced feeling. It’s like when I spent the day deep-sea fishing, and when I got off the boat, the earth beneath my feet felt slightly unstable. Weird that somehow touching Jeremy’s hand gives me the same feeling.
“Jeremy King,” he says, his sexy smirk reappearing.
His hand is warm and smooth, and he applies just the right amount of pressure. I’ve never been turned on by a handshake before, but it appears there’s a first time for everything.
I pull my hand away, trying not to let my face betray my body’s reaction. It’s a handshake, for god’s sake. It’s been only three months since I broke up with Robbie. I shouldn’t be this desperate.
“Oh, these are for you.” Jeremy hands me the plateof muffins.
I wrap my hands around the paper plate, glad to have something else to focus on. “Thank you. They look delicious.”
His dark eyes meet mine. “No worries. My daughter Lucy made them. Be warned because Lucy has occasionally been known to mix up sugar and salt.”
“I have a fourteen-year-old son who hoovers food so fast at the moment he probably wouldn’t notice. But I’ll make sure I take a tentative first bite.”
Jeremy’s gaze drops to my mouth for a second before his eyes flick back to mine.
My cock gives a small involuntary twitch because an incredibly gorgeous guy is looking at me like perhaps I’m as delicious as a freshly baked muffin. We stand there staring at each other for a few seconds before Jeremy steps back.
“Anyway, it was nice to meet you.”
