Page 28 of Mr. Flirt

“Indeed. It’s how I built my business. I had a great job as a software salesman, but I went all in when I came up with game development.”

I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit that I thought that was a huge turn-on.

The server dropped the bill off, and Shep handed him his card before I even had a chance to react.

“My treat.” He kept watching me.

“Thank you.” I couldn’t believe I was about to say the words begging to be spoken. “You’re my Mr. Wrong.”

“And here I thought you were my Miss Right.”

The server returned with the slip to be signed. Shep squiggled quickly and returned to studying me.

A flush tumbled through my entire body, from my toes to my nose. Every part of me felt like it was on fire. I drew in a slow breath.

“Could you prove me wrong?” I asked.

Shep smiled slightly. “You want me to prove to you that I’m your Mr. Right?”

I nodded like a puppy dog waiting for a treat.

“I’m not sure I am.” He kept watching me.

I smiled. “You said your sister and her best friends dated their Mr. Wrongs, and they were their Mr. Rights when all was said and done.”

He smirked. “I did say that, and it’s true.”

“Well, I can assure you that you are my Mr. Wrong on every level.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded. “You’re cocky. You’re a little scruffy with that blond hair on top of your head that’s unruly. You aren’t fond of the truth. You derive pleasure from one-night stands.”

“Where’d you come up with that?”

I smiled and continued. “You’re a committed bachelor for life, and you enjoy playing games.”

Shock registered over Shep’s face. “Same could be said of you.”

I scowled and shook my head. “Absolutely not. I don’t play games. I’m not cocky, unruly, or scruffy. I live for the truth, and I certainly don’t derive pleasure from one-night stands.”

Shep’s eyes twinkled with some sort of mischief that worried me. He laughed and shook his head, dropping his gaze to the table. “Life is one big game to you, Lucy. You get off on winning cases, making sure all your pieces to a puzzle fit better than your opponent’s. You may not be scruffy, but you have the cutest dimples I’ve ever seen in my life. And your idea of the truth is only a version to boost your agenda. And lastly, you don’t do relationships, so you obviously understand sleeping with someone without getting attached.” He smiled. “We have more in common than you think.”

I gasped a little and cleared my throat. “You’re wrong. I don’t do relationships, and I don’t sleep with people either.”

“Ever?” Shep leaned a little closer, and it felt like all the air was being sucked out of the room.

I shook my head and fidgeted with my napkin.

“Why’s that?”

Heat crawled up my chest and neck, finally landing on my cheeks. I didn’t even blush in a courtroom when I was seething with anger. But Shep pulled the reaction out of me. “I don’t want to get attached.”

Shep sat back in his chair and brought his index finger to his full lips as he thought about what I said.

“Even with all you’ve seen, you think you could still fall for someone?” he asked. “It didn’t sound like you thought it was possible.”

“The truth is that I’m a sensitive Sally. I feel my clients’ pain with all my heart. I shed tears with them when no one is looking.” I shivered. “And I’ll be damned if I ever let myself go down that path. I may act like I’m heartless, but I do have a pulse.”

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