Page 92 of Mr. Flirt

Since when have you stopped being a risk-taker?

Since I started to fall for you. I stared at my screen and decided not to text.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

All Valentined Up

Lucy

The smells coming from the café were intoxicating. There was something about the rice and spicy chickpea combo that just made my mouth water. I spotted Shep in the corner by the window, and he stood and waved before coming over to me. He looked really good. His broad shoulders filled out his button-down, and he looked like he didn’t shave this morning, which gave him a more rugged look. He was impossible to ignore in a room full of suits.

The café was set up like a cafeteria, so he left his jacket at the table and met me over where we grabbed a tray and pointed at which curries we wanted the chef to pour over our rice.

Shep glanced around the place and noticed most of the suits sitting down and smiled.

“If it didn’t look like half your office was down here, I’d lean over and kiss you.”

The mere mention of kissing made me rattled and hot at the same time. It also made me feel slightly vulnerable since a kiss was something that I wanted, and he knew it.

I cleared my throat. “It’s nice to see you too.”

Gawd. Why did I sound so prim when what I really wanted to do was kiss him back?

We slid our tray to the cashier, and Shep paid for our lunches. By the time we sat down, I’d said hi to several coworkers and realized Shep was right.

As he took a seat, I studied him, wondering how he could be so considerate like this yet also take up a bet with someone to sabotage a dating event.

He was an enigma wrapped in a Greek god’s persona with the humor of a rehabilitated frat guy.

I took a bite of curry and happily sighed.

“Were you in a frat house?”

He looked up at me. “Why do you ask?”

I shrugged and took another bite. “Just trying to put the pieces together.”

He frowned and shook his head. “About what?”

I pushed around my rice and twisted my lips into a pout. “Well, how you can be so considerate. You brought me dinner when you knew I would be working late. You volunteered to have a late lunch just to fit my schedule today. Yet, you’d do something kind of dumb for a bet. You’re smarter than most men I’ve met. But...”

A fleck of guilt darted through his gaze while his jaw tightened. He swallowed hard as his throat constricted and nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“Briefly. But it wasn’t for me. Being around that much testosterone didn’t seem like my idea of a good time.”

“Even though they have great parties?” I teased.

“You went to some frat parties?” He laughed his deep rumble of a laugh, which made my insides beat for him. There was just something so mischievous about the sound.

I held up my index finger and smiled. “One, but only because my friend at the time begged me to go.” She shivered. “Way too much testosterone.”

“Unfortunately, my bad habits can only be blamed on me. And Mike.”

I chuckled. “No shame in taking him down?”

He smoothed his fingers over a rough patch of stubble along his jaw. “None at all.”

“Good to know.”

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