Operation Prom Date (Tactics in Flirting #1)(13)
“That seems like a very odd limbo to be in.” I frowned at the idea of being tugged around like that, thinking a guy was into me, only to find out he acted like that with other people, too. But that was what everyone did these days, right? It certainly fit in with Mick’s usual MO. He and the girls he “dated” were together one night, not the next. Sometimes they were even hanging on other people or kissing them in the halls within the same week.
“We can try to think of another way if you’d be uncomfortable,” Cooper said.
“No.” I put my hand on his arm, vaguely noticing it was, in fact, as firm as it looked when I sat behind him every day on the lake. “I’m overthinking, as usual. It’s just pretend, so it’s not like it matters.”
He nodded. “Just pretend. Once we take some of that serious edge off, then guys will see you as the easygoing chick they’d like to take to a party.”
“And then to the party.” I needed to hear the end result, because the part of me I didn’t realize was so opinionated hated the thought of people thinking I skipped from guy to guy so easily.
Eyes on the prize. I just need Mick to see me first. I’m sure if he met the right person he’d want more, and that person’s going to be me. This is the way we’ll be able to get to know each other and get to that point.
I pulled my notebook to me and scribbled “Mick and I go to prom together” in giant letters. Staring at them helped soothe my nerves.
Then I looked up at Cooper, whose hazel eyes were fixed on me. That made another calming wave rush over me. It wasn’t like it’d be hard to act like I found Cooper attractive. Flirting with him would be almost natural, like how natural it was for my mom with complete strangers. Maybe I needed a guy I trusted on the other end of my pretend flirting, but practice made perfect, right? In no time, I’d be managing it with the guy who rendered me incapable of speech with one of his sexy smirks. Or you know, by simply looking my way.
“Let’s do it,” I said.
With that out of the way, I figured we could get on with our Friday night. I flipped my notebook closed and tossed it aside.
“So that’s that?” Cooper asked.
“For now.” I glanced at the time. I hardly ever had plans on the weekend. Even Mom had gone out tonight—I’d practically had to shove her out the door, but I knew she needed nights out with her friends. She was more of an extrovert than I was. As much as she accidentally flirted, she never dated. For her sake, I wanted her to move on, but for mine, I was glad I hadn’t had to deal with it yet. I wasn’t ready for some strange guy to come in and change everything; to make that feeling of Dad never living here again that much more permanent. “Did you have somewhere else you needed to be?”
“Need? No.”
Ever since the pretend-we’re-more-for-the-party discussion, the vibe had turned a bit weird, and I wanted back the easy one Cooper and I normally shared. “We could watch a movie or something? But if you’ve got more exciting plans, or—”
“I’m down for a movie.” One corner of his mouth kicked up, way too mischievousness in the curve. “But I get to choose it.”
My fingers curled around my remote protectively. “Giving out movie choosing privileges isn’t something I do lightly.”
“Well, I don’t hang out with the Mother of Dragons lightly. Especially when the dragon’s been giving me dirty looks for the past five minutes.”
I looked down at Klaus, who did look quite disgruntled about not getting all my attention. “Down, boy. Wait to blast him with fire until we hear what movie he’s going to make us sit through.”
Hesitantly, I extended the remote.
Cooper took it from me, his callused fingers brushing mine, and the vibe changed again, this time more electrically charged. Which had to be a mix of anticipation and anxiety over what movie he’d pick—yeah, that was definitely why my stomach crawled up to kiss my ribcage.
He scrolled through the options, pausing on movies I planned on protesting against a few times, only to move on. The cover for Terminator: Salvation filled the screen. “This was what I was thinking.”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“I think you’ll like it. And I’m saying that as your trusted secret keeper.”
“I guess we won’t roast him quite yet,” I said to my bearded dragon, who simply stared at me. I glanced at Cooper and thought about asking if he’d add the fact that I talked to my pet to my secret list, but figured it was understood. Not to mention awkward to bring up in the first place.
I stood and put Klaus in his cage, tossing in extra food before settling next to Cooper again.
He’d been texting someone, but I didn’t see who and was doing my best not to be nosey. He pocketed his phone, leaned back on the headboard next to me, and hit play…
About thirty minutes in, I went to shift and groaned. Usually I tried to stifle sounds like that, but I couldn’t help it. “Everything hurts whenever I move.”
“So don’t move,” Cooper said, as if never moving again was an effective, realistic solution for having muscles so sore you wanted to cry.
“Does that mean I don’t have to be at practice tomorrow, coach?”
That got his full attention. “Oh, you’ll be at practice, and if you complain, I’ll make you drop and give me twenty.”