“What were you looking for exactly?”
“You know. One night. A fling. Sex to tide me over while I pursue the surrogacy.”
Sam’s eyes narrow at me.
“It sounds like you two had a good time, but now you’re just done with him?”
“Oh. We had a fun date and I had like six orgasms. He made me pancakes, and we walked around downtown and people-watched in the park. He asked me to stay the night again but I just thought that wasn’t for the best…”
Sam’s eyebrows are at her hairline.
“You’re batshit crazy.”
“Hey!” I exclaim, knowing full well she’s right. I’m feeling it, too.
“If your friends can’t tell you, who can?” Sam shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Why are you out here chatting up Dex with the weird sideburns when you could be in Dr. Hottie’s bed?”
“Because…” I know there is a whole list of reasons. I reminded myself of them before I came out tonight.
“Because the whole point of hooking up with the doctor was to have some good sexy times before you get pregnant with Ellie’s baby?” Sam finishes my thoughts for me.
“Exactly.” See, she does get me.
“So why not keep having those sexy times? Especially now that you have to wait another month for Ellie’s egg retrieval thingy.”
“Because I can’t be in his bed every night that I want to or I’ll never leave!” The panic I felt earlier is back. Feelings and emotions I’m not used to dealing with are flooding my body.
Sam smiles, and raises her eyebrows at me pointedly. I feel like I’ve been caught. I’m a helpless fly that’s wandered into her sticky web.
“What?” I ask, calmer now and hopefully cool.
“I just wanted you to admit that you like the doctor. That’s all.”
“There, I admit it. I like him.” I take another sip of my drink. “It doesn’t mean anything. We’re not a thing. We’re not together. It was just sex. And one date.” I firmly hold up my index finger in hopes that the reminder will sink in. It was justonedate. I mean, what’s all the fuss about?
“Uh-huh.” She smirks at me. Her eyes wander to the back of Dex’s head. He’s talking to his buddy who’s wearing a SpongeBob SquarePants shirt. Weird. Suddenly I’m wondering why I was talking to this guy. Maybe if I finish this drink Dex’s appeal will return.
“How about you kiss Dex and if he is a better kisser than Cole, then I won’t mention Cole’s name again.”
My eyes narrow into slits. This feels like a trick.
“What if he isn’t a better kisser?”
Sam laughs. “Then you know what you need to do.”
I side-eye her as I move past her to get closer to Dex.
“Hey. I’m back.”
I waste no time.
“We should kiss.”
He looks shocked for a second, but then starts to lean in. “Wait.” I hold up a hand. Dex looks like he might need some coaching. Cole would never need coaching, damn it. This feels like a futile effort. “Don’t just kiss me. It’s got to be your best effort. This is important. Lives hang in the balance.”
Dex’s eyes go wide, and I get the distinct impression that he’s not a good performer under pressure.
Sam just shakes her head and rolls her eyes behind him. Dex makes a show of moving his head side to side, like he’s trying to loosen up before a workout. Oh, man. This isn’t going to go well. He leans in and then his lips are on mine. It’s…nice. His lips are soft, and I’m pretty sure I feel a tongue ring, but it’s nothing compared to the way I feel when Cole kisses me. The way my whole body lights up. The way I can’t make it through dinner without him touching me.
