Page 69 of Mr. Flirt

Skipping her question, I shook my head. “So, I’ve got Thursday through Saturday nights inked in for you. I’ll vary things a bit and try to keep you on your toes.”

“Good plan.”

She finished her meal, and I’d barely touched mine.

“Since today is Wednesday, should we skip tomorrow?” I asked.

Lucy looked horrified. “No. Why would we do that?” She stopped herself for a second. “Oh, wait. Do you have plans with someone tomorrow?”

“No, Lucy. I don’t have plans with anyone else.”

Relief fluttered through her, and she stood to get more food while I pushed mine around on the plate and wondered why I’d ever agreed to do this with her.

“Do me one favor before tomorrow,” I told Lucy.

“What’s that?”

“Read the article.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

I Can Keep You Warm at Night

Lucy

I drew a breath and stared at the page laid out in front of me. I was sitting at the bar across the street from Shep’s condo. I’d been swamped at work and hadn’t had the time to read his article yet, and I had a few minutes before he was set to show up.

My pulse zinged with uncertainty as I focused my eyes on the next section I hadn’t read yet. Did he think this would be a good companion piece to what he was teaching me?

I didn’t know.

But I felt like something had shifted between us.

Last night after dinner, we just had a quick hug at the door after he handed me my coat, and that was it.

He closed the door, and I went home.

I guess there was some part of me that kind of fantasized about spending the night with him and doing the walk of shame in the morning, but it didn’t happen.

In fact, I wasn’t sure what last night was all about. It was good that we got a lot of the parameters set, I suppose. But what was that about me finding someone else? When would I do that? I’d already planned to spend a good chunk of my nonexistent free time with Shep.

I closed the magazine and decided to read it later. I’d already snuck a look at the photos, and my heart could barely handle it. The man knew how to make panties melt all across Seattle. I was sure of that. It was like he instinctively knew how low to let the towel hang or exactly where to raise a shirt and lower his jeans. It was eye candy for the soul.

However, tonight, I needed my mind to be freed up and ready for whatever Shep had going on tonight.

The bartender walked over to me with a drink. “Miss, the man over there wanted me to bring this to you.”

My cheeks blushed as I scanned the bar, but I didn’t see anyone.

“Oh. Well, okay. Thanks.”

He winked at me and dropped the drink order off at my table while I continued to look for Shep.

Finally, a guy I didn’t recognize sauntered over and smiled at me, stopping at my table.

“Are you waiting for someone?” he asked. His dark hair framed his features well, and he was cute.

But not Shep cute.

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