Page 4 of Bold
I raised my eyebrow. “I thought you said you don’t get out much.”
His lips quirked in a smile. “I don’t. I was meeting a friend, but he had to go.”
People filed passed and shoved, I pressed my hand to Kir’s hip to steady myself, and his muscles sent a thrill through me. I smiled. “Join us.”
He stared at me like he saw the real me, and I forgot where we were for a second until he said, “I don’t want to intrude.”
I offered him my hand. “Come. You’re the nicest guy I ever met, and Hope’s seat is now empty.”
“You know why?”
“I do,” I said.
“Good. She told me last night she was with child.”
Kir was warm and sexy, which was exactly why I never wanted to ask him for anything. I tugged his arm for him to walk with me. “She told us too.”
“And how’s the search going?”
“Search?” I turned back around.
More people pushed past me, but I waited. He quickly said, “For the guy you can give your heart to.”
A laugh escaped my lips, and heat rose to my face. I shook my head. “I really shouldn’t talk when drinking.”
“I got you home safe.”
I let out a sigh. “Except you think I’m sitting around, waiting for some Prince Charming type who probably doesn’t exist.”
He narrowed his eyes like I’d surprised him. “What do you mean?”
Oh, he had no idea, and since he didn’t know about my life, I kept my truth light. “Even if Mr. Perfect was sitting right beside me, I don’t know if I would have the time to invest in a relationship.”
“I understand.” He held my seat for me.
“I doubt it,” I said as I slid in next to him.
He sat beside me. “My family wants me to settle down, but I’m not even sure I have a heart.”
I shook my head at him. He was being hard on himself. “You are the nicest guy there is.”
He pressed his hand to his heart. “Ouch. Twice now.”
“What?” I tilted my head as I gazed at him.
He pressed against me, and our shoulders brushed. “Look, you’re the prettiest woman I ever met, and women tend to not like ‘nice guys.’”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I stared into those brown eyes of his, and my lips tingled for the impossible. Kelly pressed her knee against mine and clamped a hand on my hand. I pivoted, and she pointed at someone walking toward us.
My heart thundered. “Oh my God!” I tugged Kir’s arm around my shoulder.
He asked, “What?”
I sucked on my bottom lip. Using him for his name was probably the worst thing I could have done, but maybe fate was being good to me. “Can you just pretend for five minutes that we’re dating?”
My heart raced as Lauglin stood behind us and said, “Avril, here you are.”
Kir held me.
