Page 77 of A Lucky Shot

“I need you to take my phone.”

Libby finished repositioning a light and turned to her friend. “Huh?” she asked eloquently.

“I just got a text from Nick.”

“What?” Libby screeched. “Why haven’t you blocked him yet?”

“I don’t know! Reasons!” Cass said, waving her hands in wild circles. “What if he ran into trouble and I was the only person he could call?”

“That is a Nick problem, not a Cass problem.”

“Libs, this isn’t helpful.”

“You want helpful? Nick can get fucked.” Libby gave her a flat look. “But not by you.”

“Can you just take it?”

“And do what, exactly?” Libby demanded. “Hold it above your head so you can’t reach it?”

Cass groaned. It was explosive every time they got together. Even if they didn’t talk much, their physical chemistry was off the charts. Hot and sweaty and just as devastating as the stick of dynamite that would blow up her emotions the next morning. She could practically feel his heavy gaze on her and her thighs rubbed together in anticipation.

Only one other person had ever gotten her blood moving like that.

If she and Nick were dynamite, then she and Josh were atomic.

Or had been.

Now Josh was too busy focussing on getting Brynne in frame to notice Cass. Why would he notice her, anyway? He’d said he wanted to keep it strictly professional, and he’d all but outright rejected her more than once. Backing away at their photo shoot. In the farmer’s field, with the dawn rising around them. When he’d checked on her after her date, leaving the second she suggested he stay.

Did she need another rejection to hammer the message home?

Apparently, she did, if she was rereading Nick’s text.

Cass buried her face in her hands. “What am I doing? I’m so stupid.”

“You are not stupid. You have a brain that is as big as your heart, but your heart and libido form an unholy alliance that overrides your brain every time.”

“The orgasms aren’t worth it.” She peeked from between her fingers. “Are they?”

“Now you sound stupid. Just say no.”

Cass wrung her hands together, partially to prevent her from reaching into her pocket and texting Nick back. “It’s not that simple!”

“No, it’s literally that simple.” Libby gave Cass a pitying look. “I’m not putting your phone in time-out, and clearly you don’t seem able to just ignore him. What about setting up a date tonight? Give yourself plausible deniability that you can’t meet him?”

Cass blew out a breath. “Perfect. Yes. That’ll work.”

She opened Tinder. Josh hadn’t swiped right on as many people last time, and only three new people matched her. She’d swapped a first message with each of them a couple days ago, just a quick hi with varying inane openers in reply, but she hadn’t opened the app since.

A reply sat in her inbox from each of them, and she quickly sent each of them a message.

Hey! Short notice but want to grab cocktails tonight at 9?

Saved. The cute architect was responding already. Cass hovered by Libby until his response popped up.

I’ve got nothing better to do. Send me the name and I’ll meet you there

Relief blanketed her, and she hammered out the name of the lounge with a see you tonight!

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