Page 31 of High Stick Heartthrob

I did not need to see an unsolicited picture of some guy’s dick.

“Fine,” Hannah said. She looked at me. “And… damn…”

“Damn? What doesdamnmean?” I asked.

“You look hot,” she said. “White shoes. Jeans. A flannel. It’s sexy and messy all at once. Just…damn…”

I wanted to feel comfortable, and I did.

Sexy wasn’t on my mind.

Neither wasdamn.

Atlas texted me a reminder that our date was coming up soon.

As if I didn’t know and hadn’t been thinking about it obsessively.

A private carpicked me up just before seven and drove me to the headquarters for theSola Empire.

Outside the building waited both Ellen and Atlas.

When I stepped out of the car and saw Atlas, I felt some sense of relief.

He was completely dressed down.

Jeans and a t-shirt.

I purposely acted as though I forgot something in the car so I could turn around and let out a slow breath. I bit my top lip, then my bottom lip, and then licked my lips because I was quite sure I had never seen someone look the way Atlas did.

He looked dangerous.

Mean. Dangerous.

And sexy.

Hannah was right about mythingfor tall guys.

But a guy like Atlas?

I would never be caught dead with someone like him.

Except here I was, turning back around and walking toward him.

Ellen clapped her hands together. “I’m so happy this is happening. Let’s all get together and take a few pictures and then you’re off.”

“How do you know I won’t just let Hazel off at her house and call it a night?” Atlas asked.

His voice was bold and serious.

I almost -keyword, almost- felt let down for a second when he said that.

“Well, if I’m being honest,” Ellen said, “after we take these pictures, nothing really matters to me anymore. You two can do what you want. I just think this has been a great success and would love to see it all the way through.”

“I better get dinner out of this,” I said to Atlas.

“Dinner we can do,” he said.

I thought maybe he winked at me but I wasn’t sure.

---