Page 62 of Grumpy Darling

“Well, I’ve been thinking about that,” he said, his gaze shifting uneasily away from me as he focused on his breakfast. “And as your dating coach, I’ve had some ideas for your next lesson.”

“You have?” Coaching was the last thing I felt like talking about right now. I was convinced all the flirting practice was to blame for my embarrassing dream, and the unusual feelings I was still experiencing as I cast my eyes over Grayson’s shirtless frame.

“Yeah, your attempt at flirting on the lake yesterday was a good start,” he said. “And I think it’s time to take things to the next level.”

“Really?” I didn’t know whether to feel pleased that he’d complimented my skills, or nervous about what the “next level” involved. Mostly, I think I was shocked Grayson had taken the time to come up with a lesson plan. “You think I should try flirting with Damien again?”

“Not exactly,” he said. “That’s still too advanced for you.”

“What then?” I folded my arms, a little frustrated I wasn’t a pro yet.

“Well, you said you wanted to learn how to get a guy’s attention. That’s your next lesson.”

“Okay, go on.”

“You’re going to ignore Damien.”

“Ignore him?”

“Yep. Totally. Pretend he doesn’t exist.”

“What? How is that going to get his attention?”

“Because, right now, every other girl at school is flirting with him and falling at his feet. If you want to stand out, you’re better off doing the exact opposite. You need to play hard to get.”

“This doesn’t sound right.”

“Trust me,” Gray said. “It’s right. Do you know what drives a guy crazy?”

I slowly shook my head and inched back, because he seemed to have moved closer. He smelled so good it was drivingmea little crazy. He was also still shirtless. Why was he still shirtless? Seriously, didn’t he feel the cold?

“Seeing something they want and knowing they can’t have it.” The way he was staring into my eyes had me wondering what it would feel like to be wanted by Grayson. And not just in a dream. He spoke like he was talking from experience, and I considered who the girl might be, whether he still wanted her, and if I had the skills to get away with murder. A surprising sense of possessiveness took hold of me. I didn’t want Gray to look at anyone that way.

It was only when he turned back to his food that I drew in a ragged breath. There was something wrong with me this morning. It had to be that stupid dream. My mom was always telling me not to have candy before bed; perhaps this was why. Too many gummy worms, and apparently nightmares became delight-mares.

“Some girl drivingyoucrazy, Gray?” I asked with a laugh I didn’t quite feel. It’s how I normally would have replied, but it was a struggle to maintain my usual lighthearted attitude. I was also way too invested as I waited for his reply.

“Only you,” he responded with a playful smile.

I knew he was joking, but his words relaxed me. Maybe he’d felt that way about a former crush. At least that meant I wouldn’t have to start my day by googlinghow to bury a body in the middle of winter.

Gray finished his cereal and went to clean his bowl in the sink. With him on the other side of the kitchen, I could think a little clearer. I took a few more mouthfuls of cereal as I considered his suggestion. “So, all I have to do is ignore Damien? It sounds a little too simple.”

Gray turned to face me, leaning back against the kitchen counter. “That’s because ignoring him is only the first stage of the plan.”

“Only the first stage? What’s stage two?”

“Well.” He cleared his throat. “There’s actually one thing that drives a guy even more crazy than seeing something he wants and knowing he can’t have it.”

“Which is?”

“Seeing someone else get the thing he wants.”

“I’m lost.”

He laughed. “While you’re ignoring Damien, you flirt with someone else.”

So much for Grayson being some coaching genius. “That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. It’ll be Saturday night all over again. The only difference is this time Damien will be in the audience. How do you know I won’t fail miserably with the other guy too?”

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