Page 6 of Eternal Hoptimist

I looked over at the blond hottie. I could stay and try to have a good time to ring in the new year of my singledom, or I could go before I broke my resolution. With how much I felt pulled toward him, I knew trouble was headed my way. It wasn’t the easy route, but taking the simple one had landed me in this mess. There was something about him that didn’t feel casual, but I supposed that was always my problem. Maybe casual wasn’t for me after all.

“They’re my ride,” I said to the guy, though I didn’t want to leave.

He nodded, his smile dim. “Happy New Year. I hope it’s a great one for you.” He kissed my cheek.

“Happy New Year. Good luck with that promotion.” I pulled back before I broke my resolution by asking for his number minutes into the new year.

I watched him walk away until he faded into the crowd.

“Where’s he going?” Austin asked after hiccuping.

“Nowhere, you cockblocking sonofabitch. Just had to get me back for the stationery store last year, didn’t you?”

Austin shrugged in a drunken, carefree way. “It worked out for me in the end. Maybe it’ll work out for you too.”

CHAPTER3

PARKER

Hector:How’d it go last night?

Hector:Did I see you two KISSING?

Hector:Parker and Hot Guy sitting in a tree. F-U-C-K-I-N-G

Hector:Come on! Where’s my deets! After I sent him the drink for you, I get the silent treatment?

* * *

“Where’s your better half?”I asked my brother, Nate, as we walked several blocks down the sidewalk of Dahlia Springs’ Main Street toward brunch. I hadn’t expected parking to be scarce on New Year’s Day in the small town’s main drag. Shouldn’t most things be closed for the holiday? Growing up in Dahlia Springs had been an exercise in enduring boredom. I had to admit that a lot had changed since I’d moved away for college. There was a charming downtown with vibrant new shops and places to go out, like the brewery and the Asian market that had doubled the town’s grocery options.

I laughed at the dopey grin on his face. He was so smitten with his girlfriend—nofiancéeas of Christmas dinner a week ago.

“She’s home recovering after hitting the Prosecco too hard last night. She thought the smell of beer might do her in. I’m surprised you made it over for lunch today. I expected you to bail for work.”

I grimaced. He wasn’t too far off. If the threat of disappointing my mom didn’t scare me so much, I probably would’ve stayed home to get ahead on work for the week. “I went out with some people from work after the dinner party our boss threw for the employees.”

He stopped walking and gaped at me. “You went out on New Year’s Eve with yourcoworkers? You’re not even friends with them. And no, Hector doesn’t count.”

I shrugged. Nate wouldn’t understand the dynamics at the law firm since his pressures were different as a teacher.

“Did you at least meet someone?”

I must’ve paused too long because he pushed my shoulder.

“You did! You snake. Get his number?”

“No. Just dancing and conversation.”

Despite trying to seem casual about it so Nate wouldn’t sense weakness and attack, my pulse quickened as I thought about the gorgeous man who’d turned the boring night into one I would remember. I regretted not getting his name or number. I’d been so surprised by his friends showing up that I missed my window.That kiss. The way his body felt against mine and how he touched me like he knew what I craved while we danced left me wanting more of him. Wanting enough that I’d jerked off as soon as I crossed into the privacy of my condo. I couldn’t remember ever having been desperate enough to masturbate with my back against the front door and fly open when there was a bottle of lube and comfortable bed feet away.

I wished I could see him again to finish what we’d started. Neither of us might want a relationship, but surely I hadn’t misread his signals. As I’d driven to Dahlia Springs, our chemistry had me daydreaming of a different ending to last night.

I was better off anyway. With the possibility of reaching partner in my grasp, hookups were a greater risk. Especially the kind of hookup I craved. There was something about the guy last night that called to the part of me begging to be explored.

“Getting rusty in your old age,” Nate teased.

“Says the man who hasn’t been on a date in years.”

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