I exhale heavily, still not quite used to the sound of that. “You’re my friend, and this is the kind of shit I do for friends. Hell, I offered to be Lynsey’s baby daddy if Dr. Dick didn’t get his head out of his ass. Faking a relationship with you for three weeks will be nothing compared to almost becoming a father.”
Norah barks out a nervous laugh, and I look over to see she’s staring straight ahead, shaking her head back and forth in disbelief. “I think I had you pegged wrong, Moser.”
“Let’s not make this a big, emotional thing. You and I can go steady for a few weeks so you can stick it to your mother. And that Nate Douche Stick guy can go find some other tree to pee on.”
“Nice,” Norah replies flatly.
I shrug. “You know what I mean. You wanted to get out of seeing him because he’s clearly the worst, right?”
“Yeah, but I mean…he wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.”
I glance at her before returning my eyes to the road, agitation coursing through me at her comment. “Did you miss the part where he called your bakery little? And he barely let you say two words about it before he started going on and on about a fucking CPA firm. Like seriously, who the fuck cares about a place that does taxes for a living? I felt myself slowly dying while listening to him. Your kiss brought me back to life.”
Norah giggles, clearly pleased with my analogy. “I didn’t think he seemed so bad, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t want a relationship right now.”
“Right now,” I repeat curiously. Our discussions before made it seem like she never wanted a relationship. Did that fucking smug, D-list Ken doll really turn her head that much?
“If ever,” Norah adds flippantly. “I don’t know. I drank too much champagne tonight.”
My eyes narrow as I turn down Pearl Street and approach Norah’s apartment. “Well, think about it. I don’t want you making any decisions before making one of your precious pros and cons sheets.”
She frowns at me, and I can’t help but smile because I bet that’s exactly what she plans to do tonight after I drop her off.
I park the car in front of her building, and she turns to face me, her eyes blinking rapidly as she appears to be processing a lot. “Thank you for doing this, Dean. I know it was kind of a mess at the end there, but it was fun for a while, which was…unexpected.”
I shoot her a wink. “Fun looks good on you, Norah. And hey, we made it out of there alive at least.”
“Very alive,” Norah adds, a smile growing on her face. “Actually, I feel more alive right now than I have in a very long time.” She smiles sweetly, and suddenly, this feels like a real date, and I get the overwhelming urge to kiss those soft lips again.
I lift my arm to rest on the seat behind her. “You know, Norah.”
“Yes?”
“If you wanted to feel alive again, all you have to do is ask.” I lean in a little closer and waggle my brows suggestively at her.
“Stop,” she says and gently shoves me away. “The king of too-far strikes again.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “You can’t blame me for trying. That kiss awakened my dark passenger.”
A girlie smile spreads across her face that I seriously want to kiss. This is going to be a problem.
“Well, it’s late. I should go inside.” She smiles and hesitates for a second before leaning in and kissing me softly on the cheek. Her sweet scent engulfs me, and I want to take a fucking bath in it right then and there. “See you at the bakery on Monday?”
I nod. “I’ll take a number.”
She huffs out a soft laugh and says good night while sliding out of the car.
As she unlocks her building door, I roll down my window and call out, “Just be sure to put paying back Dean in the pro column. I think we’d have fun at that wedding together.”
“Duly noted.”
I shoot her a wink. “Sleep well, sugar lips.”
The look on her face as I drive away isn’t one that looks like she wants to flatten my balls. Not at all. I think Norah likes being called sugar lips. In fact, with the right encouragement, I think she could get used to the sound of it.
Kate: Bachelorette party this weekend in Aspen is now a couples thing. A suitable date is required. Consider this as a test run for the big day.
Kate: Have you selected one of our girls yet?
Me: Go away.
Kate: DEAN…Lynsey and I know what’s best for you! Submit to our love!
I pause as I reread the crazy-town texts I received this weekend from Kate while sitting in my favorite booth at Rise and Shine Bakery. I swear to God, Kate must be some sort of evil witch like Norah’s mother because it’s way too coincidental that she’s making changes like this to our Aspen trip right after I offer to be Norah’s fake boyfriend for the next few weeks.
Speaking of which, I haven’t heard from Norah all weekend, and it’s making me fucking nuts. She kissed me, I offered to go steady with her, and then crickets. I’m not used to this type of delayed gratification. In fact, I jacked off three times this weekend just to release some of the tension. How long does it take to make a fucking pros and cons list?
If it were up to me, Norah and I would be Facebook official already because the text messages I’m getting from Kate and Lynsey are getting more and more erratic.
Lynsey: I know Kate is coming on a little strong, but I do really think you’ll like Natasha. Her family is equestrians!
Me: Horses, Lyns? Seriously?
How do they know so many single women in Boulder?
I glance at the clock on my phone. Rachael said Norah had a meeting with Max and would be in around ten. It’s now 10:10. Where the hell is she? If I have to find a different girl to take to Aspen, I’m going to need to get my ass in gear, or I’ll be stuck with one of Kate’s picks. And I wouldn’t touch any of her recommendations with a ten-foot boner.
“Your friend Kate needs medication,” Max states, jerking my focus away from my phone as he slides into the booth across from me.
I glance around and deflate when I see there’s still no sign of Norah. “Where did you come from?” I ask, trying to play it cool.
Max frowns at me. “My office, why?”
I shake my head, realizing I’m being an obsessive tool. “With Norah?”
Max’s frown lines deepen. “Yes, how did you know that?”
“Rachael mentioned it,” I reply and realize I sound fucking nuts because she’s probably just stuck in traffic. I close my laptop and push it aside to give Max my full attention. “What’s going on with Kate?”
He flattens his palms on the table and exhales heavily. “You knew she booked one of my rental properties in Aspen for this weekend, right?”
“Yeah, for her bachelorette party.”
“Yes, well, apparently now she said it’s going to be a joint bachelor and bachelorette party with all couples, so she needs a nicer place.”
“She mentioned she might do that,” I grumble. “Their bridal parties are kind of unique. Miles is having his best friend, Sam, and his sister, Maggie, stand on his side, and Kate is having me and Lynsey stand on her side.”