The Dating Proposal(26)

We reach the end of the hall, and he stops abruptly. “You look completely fucking edible.”

I blink, and my cheeks flame. “I do?”

“You do,” he says with a devilish grin, then he leans closer. “And now you’re blushing, and it’s insanely cute too.”

I smack his arm. “You devil.”

He winks, sets a hand on my back, and says, “Let’s do a segment, like the couple of cute blushers that we are.”

Yup. I can’t stop flirting with this man.

And from the looks of it, he can’t seem to stop flirting with me either.

That makes me deliciously happy.





17





Chris





McKenna is a pro. With the cameras on us, she makes everything seem easy. And honestly, this is her bailiwick and mine too—chatting it up for the lens.

I introduce her and explain what the new segment is all about, then I point to the camera. “And now it’s time for you to have your say and get all your burning questions answered.” I turn to the gorgeous brunette by my side. “Are you ready, McKenna?”

She rubs her hands together. “Bring it on. Hit me.”

“No softballs here. We have a question from Jason in Dallas. This is a tough one. When you’re on a first date with a woman, what does it mean when she orders lobster?”

She looks at the camera then at me. “That’s simple. It means she likes shellfish.”

I give her a playful look. “C’mon. That can’t be all it means. Isn’t lobster like a code for something?”

She pretends to consider the question then answers thoughtfully. “Yes, it’s code for the lady likes shellfish.” She turns more serious. “Fine, let’s be frank—it’s usually the most expensive item on the menu. A lot of times guys think that means it’s a guarantee for action. Am I right, Chris?”

I hold up my hands, so I’m not culpable for that kind of one-track-mind thinking. “I’m not saying I think that, but some dudes do.”

She pats my shoulder. She’s quite touchy, and I like it. I like it a lot. “It’s okay,” she says. “If you ever take me out, I promise I won’t order lobster.”

She’s perfectly playful, and that’s what I want. When I prepped her for the segment, I told her to feel free to ad-lib, to poke fun at me, and to have a good time. That’s what she’s doing, and it feels natural.

“Fine, so no lobster when I take you out, but let’s help Jason. Does it mean anything or nothing?”

“In all seriousness, what it means is something awesome. Are you ready for it?”

I dig in my heels, wiggling my fingers for her to serve it up. “I’m ready. We’re ready. Give it to us.”

“It means she likes you enough to not be embarrassed eating in front of you. A lobster is a big, messy production. Take it as a good sign that she’s into you.”

I pump a fist. “Woot woot. She’s into you, Jason.”

McKenna holds up a finger. “But don’t take it as a sign she wants to get busy.”

“Fair enough. All right, McKenna. You ready for one more question?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Patrick from Seattle is curious: how do you get back into dating after a long-term relationship went kaput?”

“Ah, you’re speaking my language, Patrick. I hear you. I get you. And there’s one thing you need to do.”

“Tell us what that is.”

She meets my gaze. Her blue-gold eyes are tinged with a hint of sadness, but also a strength that’s incredibly alluring. She’s had the shit kicked out of her by love, but she’s back in the saddle. That’s bold, and bold is hot.

“You have to put yourself out there,” she says. “And you do that by saying yes to things. Going to a class, or learning a new skill. In my case, I asked my friends to set me up with any single guys they knew.”

“Did you have any basic requirements?”

“Just kindness. I think there’s a mistaken notion that women want a man with a big wallet or a hot body, and hey, there’s nothing wrong with either. But kindness matters more.”

So few people say that, and I couldn't agree more. Still, my viewers want me to be entertaining, so I do bicep curls, mouthing But a hot bod is a nice bonus, as she continues.

“But I simply said to my friends, ‘Set me up.’ Here’s a hint—women love to set up friends on dates. Patrick, if you work in an office, let the married women know. And trust me, they’ll have dates galore for you.”

I turn back to the camera. “There you go, Patrick. You heard the woman. Put yourself out there. Boom!”

When the segment ends and the cameras go dark, Bruce strides in, all dapper in a three-piece suit with gelled-back hair that screams Mad Men.

“Hey, Dating Wizard, that was fabulous,” he croons to McKenna, dropping a kiss to her cheek.

“I’m so glad you liked it.”

“Liked it? I loved it. Loved it like I love the surf-and-turf special at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. And now, for some reason, I’m craving lobster. Thanks for that.”

I laugh. “You should go indulge, but don’t expect anything from the shellfish.”