Page 17 of A Different Kind of Hooker

Before Coops could answer, Ranger was leaning across her chest, eyeballing me. “Love waits for no man, Eliza,” he stated sagely. “Though rare, love at first sight is a real thing.” He shrugged. “You feel what you feel, and you shouldn’t be ashamed of that.”

I glanced at Coops while jerking my thumb Ranger’s way. “Sensitivity classes?”

Ranger laughed. “I’m speaking from experience, you dingus.”

Grinning, I came clean. “He just seems a little too good to be true.”

Coops let out an unladylike snort. “Trust me, he’s not. He’s flawed just like all the rest of them.”

“I heard that.”

“You were meant to,” she fired back at Ranger.

“You’re evil, woman,” Ranger remarked, not seemingly bothered by that fact at all.

Ignoring her husband, Coops asked, “What do you have against a hot and heavy affair? It’s okay to date someone without marriage as the endgame, Eliza.”

“That seems like a waste of time,” I replied. “I mean, what’s the point if it’s not going to lead to forever?”

“You can give your damn toys a break,” she retorted. “That’s the point.”

“Yeah, so, you ladies want something to drink? Eat? Anything that will get me out of having to witness the rest of this conversation? Ranger asked, making us both laugh.

“Yeah, just bring back whatever, babe,” Coops answered, letting him off the hook.

As soon as Ranger was on his way towards the concession area, I said, “Look, I’m all for some hot and heavy action, but…I’m thirty-one, Coops. Shouldn’t I start looking for something serious?”

“Don’t do that,” she advised. “Don’t jinx yourself like that. Let Heron be an adventure, and if he turns out to be more, then great. If not, then you’ll have a story on your deathbed that involves a sexy as hell rugby player/firefighter. Besides, there’s a big difference between dating someone and seeing someone. Who says you can’t be open to dating other people while you’re dating Heron?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled. “He doesn’t seem like the sharing type.”

“Look, you’ve never been one to shy away from the uncomfortable conversations, so why not just ask him what he’s after where you’re concerned? You can meet up with him after the game and ask.”

Deciding to come clean, I said, “I think I might already be in over my head with the charming bastard. I think my feelings might actually get hurt if he’s just looking for a quick lay.”

“Okay, that changes things,” she muttered in thought. “So, how about you still ask him what his intentions are, then go from there? If he says that he just wants something casual, then you guys can part ways as friends. If he says that he wants something serious, then ride his dick until you can’t walk tomorrow.”

I choked out a laugh. “Wow, great advice.”

Coops shot me a look. “Because you haven’t been thinking about it since you first laid eyes on the man?” she challenged.

“That’s beside the point,” I lied.

“Sure, it is,” she snorted. “That’s theonlypoint, Eliza.”

“You’re terrible,” I chuckled as I shook my head.

Coops grinned. “Yet, I still don’t hear you calling me a liar.”

Thanks to my best friend, I ended up spending the remaining minutes of the game imagining having hot sex with Heron Treyton, a man that I’d just met a few days ago. While casual sex wasn’t my thing, I wasn’t exactly a stranger to one-night stands. However, I already knew that I wanted more than casual with the rugby/firefighter, and that’s what had me feeling unsure.

However, technically, this was our third date if the third date rule still applied.

Chapter 8

Holy Smokes!

Heron~

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