Page 16 of After Tonight

She swallowed but then said, “That doesn’t answer my question. Is Lucy appealing because her panties haven’t been on your floor yet?”

“Maybe I’m thinking that I need to find out what all the hype is about, keeping panties on.”

She chewed her bottom lip. Finally, she nodded. “I think you do need to learn that.”

“So I have your permission?” he asked dryly.

Riley shook her head. “No.”

“You can’t stop me from asking her out.”

“I can keep her from saying yes though,” Riley said. “Trust me. Lucy listens to me, and she’ll definitely listen if I tell her stay far away from you.”

“You’re a brat.” And he meant that very sincerely.

“I know. But I care about my friends.”

Finally, he scowled at her. “Did Sarah tell you something happened that night? Is that why it’s such a big deal to you that I stay away from your friends?”

“It was more what happened after that night.”

“What happened after that night?”

“You never called her or asked her out again.”

Shit. He straightened and ran a hand through his hair. “No, I didn’t. It was sex. That’s it.”

“Exactly.”

“So she wanted me to take her out? Ask her on a date? Spend some time with her with her panties on?” he asked.

Riley was chewing her lip again. But she nodded.

“So why are you so against me doing thosethings with Lucy?”

“Because I don’t actually think you know how to do those things,” she told him. “I don’t think you have any idea how to be a boyfriend. I don’t think you know how to be with a nice girl.”

Yeah, she was definitely a brat.

But she also had a point.

And he hated that.

“I’ve got hot chocolate to make,” he said, pushing back from the bar. Hot chocolate. For a nice woman. Maybe the nicest he knew.

Riley seemed to hesitate, but finally she nodded. “I’ll take one too,” Riley told him as he turned away.

He was unable to keep from asking, “And are you a whipped-cream kind of girl?”

“I’m more of a melted-marshmallow girl.” Then, seemingly out of the blue, she gave him a grin. “Even on my hot chocolate sometimes.”

And damned if there wasn’t a teasing glint in her eye. So she wasn’t passing up the chance to tease about whipped cream. And more.

“You sure?” he asked. “I’m very good with a whipped cream can.” Was he trying to see what she’d do or say to that? Yes. Yes, he was.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much a given, Sex God,” she said—and actually laughed.

Sex God. It might have been sarcastic, but Riley Ames had just called him a Sex God.

“Which is exactly why you should stay away from Lucy,” she added, effectively taking him right back down a notch.

“Lucy’s got enough whipped cream and Sex Gods in her life?” No one could really have enough of either, in Derek’s opinion. Which might be the entire problem.

Riley just looked at him for a moment. “I think Lucy has exactly the right amount of both in her life.”

Then she pivoted on her heel and headed for her table.

And Derek was left with a number of thoughts like so the melted marshmallows aren’t too hot then? And I could too be a good boyfriend. Probably. And Riley really does wear that dress well.

Dammit.

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