Page 43 of Broken Hearts
“Yes?” Heat creeps up my neck and face. “What did you guess?”
“Five.” He shows me.
The timer goes off and people move. Except neither of us do.
“Do you want to go sit at the bar?”
“What about the speed dates?”
“I think when you find the person you want to spend the rest of the night with, you’re supposed to stop.” He stands and holds out his hand.
When we get to the bar, I set my drink down and Rhett orders another beer. “And can I get a scrap of paper and a pen?”
“Sure thing.” The bartender gets the paper and pen first.
Rhett scribbles something down and folds the paper and slides it to me. “That’s my real number. Look at it or don’t, but I can’t have you believing I’ve slept with a hundred chicks.” He shakes his head. “Where would I find the time?”
I steel myself for what I’m about to see, then unfold it and gasp. “Really?”
He grins. “Really.”
“I... wow. Really? You’re not fucking with me?”
His chest shakes with laughter. “I’m one-hundred-percent serious.”
“But only one?” I’m shocked. How is that possible?
“What about you? Do I get the real number?”
I tear off a piece of paper and write my number on it. Like he did, I slide it to him, but when his fingers reach for it, I don’t let go.
“I don’t care what the number is, angel.”
I let go and bring my thumbnail between my teeth while he looks.
“I was close.” He grasps my wrist and pulls it away from my mouth. “Relax. Three is nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I’m not embarrassed. Not about my number, anyway.”
He takes a drink from his beer and waits for me to continue.
“It’s just this whole time I’ve been worried that you’re some big player and I had it all wrong.”
“Who’s the player now?” he teases.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re forgiven.”
“Just like that?”
“Should I have made you sing me a love ballad?”
I relax, really relax, for maybe the first time I’ve ever been with him. Then his large palm stretches out on my thigh and all the nerves and butterflies are back. Because if he isn’t a player, there isn’t anything stopping me from letting him kiss me again.
And maybe more.
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