Page 42 of A Lucky Shot

“Then great things require great effort.”

“Aren’t you being a little melodramatic?”

“Yes, but what’s that got to do with it?”

She pressed her lush lips together, failing to hide her amusement. Good. She barely looked miserable-adjacent now. “Here’s the catch,” he said, pausing for dramatic effect. “No second dates.”

Cass drew her eyebrows together. “Why not?”

“You need to see what’s out there. It’s like inoculation. Get exposed to a whole bunch of different guys so you can spot the players and become immune.”

“That is the least appealing description of dating I have ever heard in my entire life,” she said, swallowing a dry heave. “Besides, isn’t that mean? Going out on one date and ghosting them?”

“No one said anything about ghosting. You can send them a text after thanking them for the nice time, but you didn’t vibe. Good luck on your ‘insert topic of conversation here’ and move on.” He spread his hands magnanimously. “Simple. “

“I’m starting to think you might be a bad source for dating advice.”

“Dating advice? I’m your guy.” Relationship advice? That was another story. “What do you have to lose? A few Thursday nights? Worst-case scenario, you get a bunch of free drinks and dinners.”

“No. Worst-case scenario, I get murdered and dumped in the river.”

A chill ran over his spine. Right. “Fine, text me in case you need a rescue. Plus, then I can make sure you’re doing your homework.”

“But then I have to shut all these guys down after one date? That sounds so cruel!” She looked genuinely worried to upset strangers she didn’t even know yet. No wonder she got played.

“It’ll be good practice. You need to learn to say no.”

“Like I should say no to you right now?”

You don’t mean it when you say no to me. His dick twitched again. Fucking hell. “I’m different.”

“This might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she mumbled.

“If this is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done, then you need to live a little.”

“Okay, what do I have to lose? Thursday nights and not my life.” She brushed her hands down her bare arms and studied her fingers. “Could you maybe send me your contact info?”

He looked at her, nonplussed. “I know for a fact you have my number.”

“I deleted it?” She squirmed in her seat.

“Oof. If I didn’t know any better, I’d take it personally,” he said wryly. Maybe she’d have an easier time with this whole ‘see-them-once-and-ghost’ thing than she let on. He swiped her phone out of her hands to plug in his info and paused. Might as well have fun with it.

Cass clicked her tongue and smiled. “Sexy Dimples? Really?

“What? Isn’t that what you call me?” He scrolled his own phone until he reached Cass Head of Costume, and renamed it Lucky Charms. His fingers hovered over the keys for half a second, her comment about getting murdered and dumped in a river circulating his brain. Unlikely, but he added her to his Do Not Disturb exception list. Just in case.

“So, how exactly do we do this?” Cass asked. “I randomly swipe on dudes until one of them agrees to go out with me?”

Like it would be hard for her to find men to take her out. Only an idiot would swipe left on those lips. He frowned at her. “Thirty dates, thirty guys. No more than three texts each. If they haven’t declared their intentions by then, or you don’t like them enough to ask them, move on.”

“Declared their intentions? You make it sound like they should be asking my father’s permission for a betrothal,” she laughed, shaking her head in resignation as she stashed her phone away. “Why am I letting you talk me into this?” she said, more to herself than him.

Because you’re a good girl who does what she’s told. His thoughts strayed to him directing her movements, her getting on her knees and looking up at him through those lush lashes. Her licking her lips before wrapping her fist around the base of his cock. That sweet mouth sucking him so well, asking him to cum on her tits, him tipping over the edge before he could growl yes.

The thought of someone else with her sent a feral rage searing through his chest.

“Also,” he said, clearing his throat, “since you’re not actually trying to meet anyone, no sex. No kissing. No second dates. No exceptions.”

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