Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories (The Flirts! Collection) Read Online Free Page A

while he was hanging around. But I had to face the facts—if he was trying to set me up with his buddies, he must not be interested in me. Deal with it .
    He was waiting for me when I came out. People were clearing away from the table and he dropped a few twenties by the check to pay for our share.
    “Thanks,” I said.
    “I’m lucky I could cover it. I got lousy tips last night because someone was distracting me all night.”
    My first thought was Miranda, but then I realized he meant me.
    “Hey, I could have set you up with Miranda in exchange. She was definitely interested. It’s not too late.” How much did it suck, saying that?
    He looked down at me, and his eyes locked on mine. “I’m not interested.”
    I sucked in a little breath. “You’re going to have to explain that to me one of these days.”
    He just shook his head. “Maybe one of these days you’ll figure it out for yourself.”
    We stopped walking when we reached my car. “So, day one and no success. I’m still dateless. That T-shirt is going to look so cute on me.”
    He ignored me. “Good news. My buddy, Dave, is having a barbecue this Wednesday night. Kind of a hump-day thing. How ‘bout I pick you up at six?”
    “Should I bring anything? Nothing homemade. I’m not that kind of girl.” Just wanted to get that out in the open.
    “Nope. Just your acerbic wit. I’m sure you’ll be serving up rounds of it.”
    I really didn’t want our day together to end. In a movie, this is where we’d make an awkward attempt to kiss each other and it would end up being so awesome, we’d tumble into the car only to emerge rapturous and flushed, hours later. Or maybe interrupted by the police in a slapstick scene.  Or aliens in a sci-fi movie. Or a killer in a horror flick. I shuddered, imagining that , but I still wanted a kiss.
    But he just patted the roof of my car, waiting for me to get in.
    So, I climbed in. It was getting late, and duty called at the vet clinic the next day. Poor, furry suckers didn’t know their early morning joy-ride was going to be the end of their manhood. There were three neuters scheduled for the next morning. That’s something a girl needed to rest up for.
    “See you Wednesday,” he said.
    I waved goodbye, pretending I wouldn’t be counting down the hours. All seventy-two of them.

    Brady picked me up in his Wrangler, and I was more excited to see him than the time I saw Santa behind our house the night before Christmas. I hoped this hot, funny guy wasn’t going to just turn out to be make-believe, too. I liked him more and more each time I saw him.
    “Did you tell Miranda what you’re up to?” he asked.
    “Since she lives across the hall from me I would’ve, but she’s down on the Cape this week at someone’s beach house. Apparently the dry cleaner is the new place to meet hot men.”
    “Or at least cleanly-dressed men.”
    “I’m sure he’s both. And rich.” I was glad I didn’t have to tell Miranda about my “date” with Brady. She probably would’ve wanted to come along and I wasn’t willing to share. She had enough boys to play with.
    Brady slowed the car. “Should we make a detour to the dry cleaner before the party?”
    I leaned my head back on the seat and looked at him. “I’m good, thanks.”
    He sped up the car. “Miranda sounds very different from you.”
    I snorted. “And you didn’t draw that conclusion the other night from looking at us?”
    “No, I mean the way she treats men. Like an all-inclusive ticket to amuse her. I’m surprised you’re friends with her.”
    I tightened my grip on my purse. “You don’t understand.”
    “Of course not, I’m a man. Enlighten me.”
    I looked out the window, wondering how much to tell, but still wanting to defend her. “We met when we were kids. I was nine and she was eight. We were both in the cancer ward at Children’s Hospital. Leukemia, only hers was worse. Way worse.”
    He reached over and squeezed my hand. “I’m so