Page 7 of Hunting for Acceptance

“What?”

“Yeah. Go over there and ask for his number. Pretend you changed your mind or something.”

The man I flirted with makes a face, his eyes going wide. “Hell no!” Well, there goes my fragile ego going down a peg. “I’m not good at shit like this.Yougo talk to him, you’re good with people.”

“I’m not the one he was flirting with earlier. If I go ask him it’ll be super suspicious.” He’s not wrong, but at the same time I gotta admit I wouldn’t mind either of them flirting with me. One of them is broad and strong with a take no shit attitude while the other is lithe with glasses and messy hair. They’re both attractive in their own ways, both pushing pretty much all of the buttons I have.

“This is a shit plan, Cooper.”

Cooper. Something about knowing his name makes a thrill go through the pit of my stomach. Why the hell am I so drawn to these two? Is it just the fact that my enticement failed, or is there something more at play here?

Instead of slinking in the shadows any longer, I decide now is as good a time as any to make my dramatic appearance. I step forward until I’m right behind Cooper, looking down at tall, broad, and mysterious with a wide smirk. His eyes meet mine, going comically wide.

“Shit,” Cooper hisses out. I can see the way his shoulders go tense and I can’t help but smile even wider. “He’s right behind me, isn’t he?”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I would love for you to buy me a coffee so we can sit down and have a proper chat, huh?”

There’s a moment of stillness before the man across from Cooper lets out a bone deep sigh. “Iced or coffee?” he asks as he stands up, pushing his seat in. I chuckle warmly as I take a seat at their little table.

“Iced please.”

As he goes, I turn towards Cooper, eyeing him up. I don’t even try to hide the fact that I’m checking him out. He’s hot. Sure, he’s wearing converse, a band tee, and skinny jeans but that does nothing to turn my interest away. If anything it makes me want him more just so I can see what he’s hiding under all of the nerd. Plus, I’ve always wanted to come across someone’s glasses.

“What?”

“Nothing,” I say with a smile. “I was just checking you out.”

“Yeah,” he says self-consciously, his cheeks pinkening. “I noticed. Do you make everyone feel like a piece of meat or am I special?”

“That’s not the feeling I was going for,” I say honestly, leaning back in my chair. I tuck my hair behind my ears. “I was hoping to make you feel desired. Because you are. Desired, that is.”

Cooper snorts, shaking his head and looking away. “One second you’re hitting on Martin and the next you’re telling me I’m desired. What the hell is your deal?”

“Would you like to find out, Cooper?”

“Fuck. Stop it,” he grits out, crossing his arms over his chest. “Stop whatever game this is. Just--” Cooper lets out a noise of frustration. “Can we at least start with your name?”

“Dorian,” I tell him after a pause. There’s this feeling welling up inside my chest. Chasing that gut feeling, I reach out, gently touching Cooper’s arm. I reach within the well of magic I possess as a siren, letting out a tiny bit ofenticement. “I think we could be good friends, Cooper.”

Just like Martin, nothing happens. Cooper pulls his arm away, looking at me with suspicion which isn't completely unwarranted. Ididjust try to use some magic on him.

I’ve never met a human who could withstandenticementlike this. And tonight I’ve mettwoof them. What the hell does this even mean? I would wonder if I was completely out of magic but I know for a fact it still works, evident by the woman I left in that hotel room for Stewart.

“Here,” Martin says, sliding me over an iced coffee as he sits back down.

“Thank you, Martin,” I say, smiling when his eyes go wide in surprise before darting over at Cooper. My heart is racing but I do my best to ignore that. I have a theory. But it’s something too terrifying to even voice in my head. It can’t be that. I can’t be finding them while I’m in the middle of this fucking blackmailed arrangement.

I refuse to believe Lady Fate would be so cruel as to bring me my mates while I’m at my very lowest.

“I’m glad we can get the pesky introductions out of the way. The ice breakers are always the worst part about meeting new people,” I say, taking a sip of my ice coffee and watching as these two seem to be able to communicate without speaking.

They were fighting when I walked over but it’s hard to miss the fact that they havesomethinggoing on between them. A tiny part of me is actually jealous. The bigger part of me wants to matchmaker the fuck out of them. Gods, I bet they would look so hot kissing.

“Sorry, what was that?”

Martin clears his throat and I realize I’d been staring a beat too long and missed what they were talking about. He tries again. “So, why are you here?”

“Out for a stroll and saw a couple of attractive strangers that caught my attention?”

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