Page 124 of The Girlfriend Zone

I laugh as she turns the corner, bringing us a warm toffee brownie.

“For Boppity,” she says with a wink. “Compliments of the boss.”

We thank her and she smiles, the far too pleased kind, before she leaves us alone again.

“I think she’s trying to get her membership for The Underground Grandma Matchmaking Society reinstated.”

“Trying?” I counter. “I think she has it.”

His smile seems unstoppable. “I hope so.”

Yep. This is definitely the bubble, and I never want to leave it. We talk, we laugh, and everything feels possible here in the cozy corner of his grandmother’s shop. But that’s just the good vibes talking. This is a mirage—the setting, the privacy, all of it. I can’t let it fool me into thinking anything can truly last. But I decide to lean into the heady part—how good I feel when I’m with him.

As we’re finishing, my phone buzzes. I glance down at the screen.

Mom: Can you shoot the new handbags soon? Pretty please? You’re the only one I trust with them. You’re so talented, my love. I could fly you out to New York.

I sigh, setting my phone down, my gut churning with dread and temptation. “My mom. Again.”

His gaze turns serious. “What does she want?” He sounds like he’ll protect me from her, and the passion in his tone does something to me.

“She’s in full force,” I reply, rolling my eyes lightly, trying to mask the way her offer twists me up. I do needmore work, and my mom pays well. But I’d probably have to ask for some days off to fly out to New York, and I don’t know if that’s feasible. And I’d be working for someone who doesn’t think much of some of my business choices. The whole situation makes me feel…icky. But that’s a lot to go into on a secret date, and I don’t want to kill the mood. “She wants me to do some work for her. If I don’t respond to her offer to shoot her new line, she’ll text me ten more times.”

He pauses, taking a beat before thoughtfully asking, “Will you say yes?”

“I don’t know. It always feels weird working with her, but it’s work, and I still have that whole rent situation to figure out…” My thoughts tangle.

“What’s the rent thing?”

But today isn’t about her or my rent or anything else. Today, I feel too good to dwell on the practical. “Just the rent is going up at the boudoir studio, but I’ve got it figured out. I’ll work harder. And really, I don’t want to talk about work right now.”

His brow furrows. “You sure? I’m happy to talk about it.”

My heart squeezes at his clear and obvious willingness to chat. I don’t have a ton of romantic experience, but I do have enough to know how rare and precious a man like him is—someone legitimately interested, truly kind, incredibly smart, and, most of all, a great listener.

That’s the rarest part of all. The one I value most.

Right now, though, I’d rather talk about other things. “Thanks,” I say. “I’ll probably take you up on it. But not now.”

He nods, listening once more as he says, “Fair enough.”

We don’t talk about work anymore. In fact, once we’re home at his place, we don’t talk much at all. We touch, and that’s much better. Especially when he curls his hand around my throat the way he alone can do.

I don’t know why, but that move does it for me. It sends me flying. Later in bed, starlight twinkling through the windows and four small bossy Chihuahuas curled up with us, I turn to him. “No one else has done that to me.”

“Made you come ridiculously hard?”

I laugh but shake my head. I slide my hand over my own throat, demonstrating. “This.”

“Yeah?” He sounds too thrilled. It’s a good sound.

“Yep.”

He covers my hand with his. “Good,” he says, then tilts his head, clearly thinking. “Why me?”

I’m not usually this open. I’m rarely this vulnerable. But he’s earned it. “I trust you.”

A smile plays across his lips, but he must fight it off, since his expression remains serious. “You let me do it the first time we were together.” It’s a statement but really, it’s a question.

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