Page 8 of The Off-Limits Rule: Extended Edition

“Oh, I’m squarely in the bookish category. I never even attempt to flirt because it always ends badly.” Her face is so serious right now. She really means this from the bottom of her heart. “I see you looking at me skeptically, but it’s true. I’m exactly the opposite of you and Drew.”

Ah—speaking of Drew, I should really be getting up now and leaving Lucy the hell alone. She’s smiling, so my mission is accomplished. (Hurrah for the token flirt doing his duty!) For some reason, though, I can’t. I don’t want to go back down in the water with everyone else. I want to sit here and watch this beautiful woman blush and continue having odd conversations with her that make me want to smile more than I’ve smiled since Janie. So, I do the wrong thing and stretch my arm out across the bench seat (not the arm closest to Lucy, because I don’t have a death wish) and settlein.

“You two do seem pretty different. And you definitely look nothing alike.” Why did I add that last part?

Her nose crinkles again with an uncomfortable smile. “Well, most people think he’s pretty hot, so I don’t quite know how to take that.”

I squint one eye. “Trying to get me to flirt with you again?”

Her smile drops, and now she has owl eyes. The blush is back. “What? No! I was just saying a fact, not at all trying to get you to flirt with me. I don’t even really like compliments because I never know what to do with them, and—”

“Lucy, relax,” I say with a chuckle. “I was just messing with you.” I want to bump her shoulder again but refrain because I’m a saint and a very good friend.

“Oh.” She sinks back against the bench again and laughs at herself. “I’m sorry. I— This is why I prefer reading to actually talking to people. Less chance of humiliating myself.” She tucks hernose back down into her book like she’s intending to jump inside itReading Rainbowstyle.

I’m not ready to lose her to that book yet.

“Well, now that you’ve admitted you’re only using that book to hide”—I pluck it from her hand and toss it onto the bench across from us—“you have no choice but to put it down and come hang out with us.”

She looks from the water, where everyone is floating, back to her lap. “I’m good up here. Thanks, though.”

What? She’s not going to come out to the water at all? Maybe Drew was right and Lucy really is having a hard time after breaking up with Tim. “All right, well, I won’t push you to come out there with us. Breakups are hard, so I understand wanting to just chill by yourself.”

She lets out a sharpha,and then her hand immediately flies up to cover her mouth. “I didn’t mean to laugh,” she says from behind her hand. “It’s just…” She shakes her head. “Never mind.”

Okay, that was definitely not the reaction of a woman aching with a broken heart. My spirits lift.Tim Shmim.“You can’t bait me like that and then leave me hanging.” I lower her hand away from her mouth. “What were you going to say?”

Lucy stares at where my hand is covering hers. I let it go, realizing I’ve already touched her twice in five minutes when I’m supposed to touch hernever in my entire life.“It’s not the breakup. Don’t tell Drew, because it will go straight to his head, but I never liked Tim all that much. The reason I don’t want to swim has nothing to do with my breakup.”

She gives me a look that’s sort of shy and reserved but loaded with meaning, and now I’m worried Drew was right. For the first time in quite a while, I feel unsure of myself. Am I…buggingher?

I’m a pretty straightforward guy, so instead of lying awake tonight, wondering, I ask, “Is it me? Am I making you uncomfortable? Just say the word, and I’ll totally leave you al—”

“I didn’t shave my legs,” she says suddenly, eyes snapping back to me like she didn’t mean to cave on her secret so quickly.

I, however, am fighting a smile, relieved that I’m not completely unappealing to her—not that I want to be appealing to her. Because, you know…I can’t. “Is that supposed to be a big deal?”

“No, I don’t think you get it. I haven’t shaved my legs in, like…weeks.It’s bad.” My eyes unconsciously begin to drift down toward her legs, but she reaches out quickly and grabs my chin, keeping it lifted. “Don’t look! What are you doing?! It’s embarrassing!”

I’m laughing now; I can’t help it. “Well, what do you expect me to do? You’ve just put a red button in front of me and told me not to press it. Of course I’m going to.” Something in my mind alerts me to the realization that I’m not just talking about looking at her hairy legs. My eyes drift toward the edge of the boat, expecting to find Drew pointing a sword in my direction, threatening a duel.

Except, no. I don’t think the pull I’m feeling toward Lucy has anything to do with the red-button principle, and, instead, has everything to do with the way I genuinely enjoy talking to her, feeling like I have no idea what she’ll say next and loving that nothing comes out of her mouth unless it is absolutely true.

Right away, she seems like someone who doesn’t play games. And guess what? I’m tired of games.

Lucy tucks her legs tighter under her and gives me a warning side-eye.

“Come on.” I wiggle my fingers in front of me. She gives me a quizzical look. “Show me.”

“No! I will notshowyou. I’m going to stay snuggled up with my book and let you and Drew enjoy your time with your friends.” She makes ashoogesture, like she’s completely done withme.

“Lucy. I don’t give a shit about the hair on your legs, and no one else will either. Look, I’ll prove it.”

I reach out and grab her foot, pulling it and her leg out from under her. Before she can protest, I run my hand gently from her ankle up her shin to her knee, and I can tell you one thing, I reallydon’tgive a shit about the hair. I meant for the gesture to be playful and funny and break the ice between us, but instead I feel sparks flying off my fingertips.Not good to have that strong of a reaction to a woman I need to stay away from.

I slide my eyes up to her face, and her mouth is open, eyes wide, cheeks crimson red. “I. Can’t. Believe. You. Just. Did. That.” She blinks at me and then at the place where I haven’t moved my hand from her knee yet. I need to move it. Ishouldmove it. But I don’t want to. Her skin is warm beneath my palm, and touching her feels different than I’ve felt with anyone else. “Goodness, you really are a flirt.”

Her words act like a bucket of cold water. She doesn’t think I’m being genuine, and also…Drew’s sister.I can’t act this way with her.

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