Page 126 of A Little Tempting

“I heard he’s done with his side gig.”

“Heisdone with his side gig,” I confirm.

“So? It’s good, right?”

“Yeah.” A smile stretches across my face as I push the eggs around my plate. “Yeah, it’s good.”

“Good.”

We stay silent, both of us enjoying her kickass eggs. When my nerves get the best of me, I look up at her again. “You like him, right? Like, you think we’re a good fit?”

“Yeah, of course, I like him.”

“So you don’t think I’m crazy for wanting to see where this goes?”

“I mean, I most definitely think you’re crazy,” she returns dryly. “But no, I don’t blame you at all. You guys were really cute together on Halloween.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, I do. Have you guys had the talk yet?”

My smile falls, and I set my fork down. “Talk?”

“You know, about the relationship.”

“Are we supposed to have a talk about the relationship?”

“I mean,” she laughs, “at some point, yeah. Probably. Why? Are you nervous?”

“I don’t know?” I frown. “Maybe a little.”

“Why?”

“Because Reeves is…Reeves, I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

“All any girl on campus has ever wanted from him is a fake commitment so they can show him off like a prized pony.” I shake off my annoyance along with the knowledge that the list of girls he’s connected with, both professionally and physically, is probably a mile long. “I don’t want him to think I’m doing the same thing.”

“Trust me, after seeing you two together, I guarantee he won’t. He really likes you, Dylan. Everyone at SeaBird could see it. Hell, we couldfeelit, and honestly? I’m kind of jealous.” She smiles.

“I just…I want to make sure I keep my head on straight through all of this.”

“Which is super romantic, by the way,” she teases. “I take it you guys haven’t gone all the way yet?”

I shake my head. “We’ve done…a lot, actually, but not the whole shebang.”

“Shebang?” she laughs. “As in she-bang?”

“Finley,” I whine.

“I’m kidding. Kind of,” she clarifies. “It is pretty funny. But for real, what’s holding you back?”

“I don’t know?” My face scrunches. “I want to, but…”

“But you’re scared?”

I nod. “Yeah. I guess I am.”

---