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They sat in silence for a moment.

What was he thinking? That she should be more like him and not care what others thought? “Call me shallow, but I want to be accepted. I want the experience of belonging.”

Her words seemed to startle him out of his musings, and he grabbed her free hand. “I will be your date tonight so we can mark that off the list of Nonna’s demands upon me. And, if needed, I will be your standby fiancé for your reunion, so no more stressing about either of those situations. I’ve got you.”

She grinned. “Thank you. You’re the—“

“But I can’t accept your offer to be your casual-fuck guy.”

Anger prickled her insides. “Because you think you know me better than I know myself, and you’re still afraid you’ll break me?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Then why?”

“Because Nonna has picked out your Prince Charming. He’s a friend of mine. I won’t cock block a friend.”

That explained his lack of texts today, and his weirdness now. “How about what I want?”

“The guy Nonna has picked out is probably the most perfect person in the world for you. But he’s a friend, and our spending the next month having casual sex would mess up your chances with him because…well, it just would.”

She called upon the dignity she’d learned to summon during moments like this thanks to the Fairy Godmother Project. “Tell me about this perfect paragon.”

“Ryder’s a former SEAL. He and two of his buddies opened an investigator business a few years back.” Chandler paused and heaved out a breath. “He has a big heart and a wicked sense of humor and is capable of whimsy.”

Isabella pushed her tongue to the top of her mouth until the urge to cry passed. Last night he’d had his finger up her hoo-ha, and now he was all in to marry her off to some big-hearted, whimsical guy with a sense of humor when all she really wanted was a soft-hearted, broody guy with a sense of justice to bang. “Good looking?” she inquired.

“Ugly as hell.”

She laughed. “How’d he make his billions?”

“Saved the kidnapped granddaughter of a king.”

“Oh. Wow. That’s an interesting story. One that would go over well at my reunion.” And let’s face it, until her reunion had come and gone, everything in her life revolved around it. “Is it weird that one night you were between my legs, and the next day you’re telling me all the good qualities of a potential husband?”

“Very.” He grabbed both of her hands and squeezed. “That’s why I was offline all day. Nonna showed up with her potential husband list for you, and she wouldn’t leave until I’d helped her make a list of pros and cons for each and every candidate.”

For a moment, they stared into each other’s eyes. His dark with hunger he didn’t bother to hide. Which confused the hell out of her. If he wanted her, why not take her up on her offer of booty call dude? Why rush her toward another man? “Chandler, if things—“

“Don’t take this wrong but tell me again why the hell we did what we did last night?” he interrupted.

She tugged her hands free. She’d been about to tell him if things were different in her life, she’d choose him, not some paragon. “Because I made a resolution to make as many fun choices as I can this year. You were my first fun choice. And—“

“Isabella,” said a warm female voice from behind her, “what in the world are you doing sitting at a bar?”

Isabella groaned and glanced at her watch. Her parents were fifteen minutes early. “Let’s skip our imperfect idea to have you join me and my parents for dinner,” she whispered to Chandler.

“But—“

“I’ll see you around,” she said to Chandler. Although now that he was no longer at Naked Runway, the chances were great that she wouldn’t. “If not, have a great life.”

Not waiting for his reply, she swiveled on her stool and smiled at her parents. “I have our name on the waiting list. I bet our table is ready.” With those words, she slid off her stool and walked away, not looking back.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

On Monday evening, Chandler stood on the sidewalk and glanced up at the window to Isabella’s bedroom. He briefly imagined her standing there naked before jerking his attention back to the present. He quickly knocked on her front door. From now on, she was strictly off-limits. She deserved a life full of happiness, and acceptance, and love.

He wouldn’t do anything to get in the way of her ultimate dreams.

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