Page 36 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

“Plus,” Brad goes on, utterly serious, “you make people happy, Joey. You’re calm and patient and genuinely kind. You’re flexible in your thinking, but not so much that you’d compromise your morals. And I’m not sure if you know this, but sometimes you smell like sawdust. Like those happy memories you mentioned from your childhood. I could see that becoming someone else’s happy memory, too, you know? You’re a catch. Inside and out. And someday, you’re going to make the right guy very happy.”

Holy fuck.

Just… Absolute fucking fuck.

“You smell like the ocean,” I tell him hoarsely.

His face brightens. “Yeah, that’s my body wash. Thought it was kind of nice. I’ve never been.”

I nod, my throat tight. “It’s, uh…another of my happy memories.”

That smile of his softens. “You and your watersports.”

I huff a pained laugh. “Hey, you want to get out of—”

“This stool taken?”

Brad grins over at the newcomer, giving me what I’m sure he thinks is a subtle prod. “Nope!” he says brightly. “You two go ahead and…converse or whatever. I need to use the bathroom anyway. Not for anything weird. Just…normal stuff.”

I sigh as Brad walks off, not sure whether I should laugh or scream. “If you were hoping to talk to him instead of me, no hard feelings,” I tell the guy.

He eases onto the stool next to me, a smile on his face. Admittedly, heisattractive in a suave sort of way, with his suit jacket and expertly styled hair. He looks confident, a trait I appreciate.

“Actually,” he says, “I was trying to get your attention. Is it working?”

Yep,definitelyconfident. “Not sure yet,” I tell him honestly. Because I know—Iknow—I can’t fixate on the man currently in the bathroom doing not-weird stuff, but my heart is having a hard time listening to what my head knows.

That if I keep this up, I’m bound to get hurt.

“Fair enough,” the guy says, looking, if anything, pleased by my answer. He probably likes a challenge. “Sit with me? I’ll buy you a drink.”

Deciding I have nothing to lose, I nod and take a seat.

“Alan,” he says, holding out his hand.

“Joey.”

He grips my palm longer than necessary before flagging down the bartender. “What’ll you have, Joey?”

“Whiskey. Neat.”

His smile is almost victorious. Smug, even. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone so blatantly pursue me in this way. I can’t help but wonder if he’d be just as dominant in every facet of his life or if he’s the kind of person who needs to let go of the buttoned-up routine every once in a while. I try to imagine that. Try to let myself get lost in the fantasy of taking over, fucking him so hard and fast that he loses all composure. And I just…can’t.

That would have done it for me before. Big time. But now, all I can see in my mind’s eye is Brad’s laugh and his smile and the ways the two of us could have fun.Thatfantasy is one that’s all too easy to settle into, as impossible as the reality of it is.

And I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.

“So, Joey,” Alan says, sliding the drink the bartender poured my way. “What do you do?”

“I’m in construction,” I tell him.

His eyes slip down my torso, appreciation there, but he doesn’t have time to say anything more before a familiar body plopsunceremoniously onto my lap. I look in surprise at Brad, who loops his arm over my shoulder with a grin.

“I’m back,” he says.

“I can feel that,” I reply.

He laughs. “No seats, man. Don’t mind me.”

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