Temptation Ridge (Virgin River #6)(43)

If that wasn’t disgusting enough, she told him, the whole reception was loaded with longtime girlfriends of hers who were madly in love with wonderful, loving, sexy men whom they’d found in the most unexpected places. She, however, had had lousy luck with the opposite sex. Since about the fourth grade.

That got them started, talking and laughing about the worst dates and relationships imaginable. They went over the disastrous dates, hookups that looked like they might turn into stalkers, their most embarrassing setups. For a while it was like horror-dating one-upsmanship, but it began to put them both in a better mood. Someone to find the humor in all of it helped. It seemed they were two people who just never scored good partners at all. He was thirty-six and she was thirty-one and neither had found the right one. While they talked, he occasionally held her hand, the hand that rested on the table. With either of them hardly aware, more than an hour had passed, and it had passed with some laughter and pleasure, surprising her more than him. He lifted two fingers; two more drinks were delivered.

“What kind of odds do you give them?” he asked. “The bride and groom?”

“I’m the last person you should ask about that,” she said. “Turns out I’m not much of a judge.”

“Join the club,” he said. “Well, I wish them the best.” He grinned at her. “And I wish you the best, Brandy. This thing you’re going through—it’s going to pass. Just looking at you, talking with you through a couple of drinks, you’re going to land on your feet, find the right guy. Tell me something. What’s a woman like you looking for in a guy?”

“Are we talking about a date? Or something more than that?”

“How about both?” he said. “Start with the date.”

“Okay, in a date—good manners. That’s my only requirement for an evening out, as long as the guy is likable and I have an attraction. For the rest, I have this list. There are ten things, ranked.”

He burst out laughing. “Are you kidding me?”

“I am not,” she said indignantly. “My Aunt Kate told me a long time ago, make a list. She’s always right about everything, so I made a list. It’s a great list. There’s one problem. Sometimes I lie to myself about whether he’s got list qualities. When I do that, I pay. Big.”

“I gotta know, Brandy. Give me the list.”

“I can’t. It’s very private.”

“Listen,” Cam said. “I might need a list. Maybe that’s my problem—no list. Tell me about it. I promise, I won’t tell a soul.”

“Well,” she said reluctantly, “I might get some of the order mixed up. Four through seven are kind of interchangeable. And I can’t talk about number one, you’ll just have to let that go.”

“Okay,” he said. “Go.”

“Number two is humor. Then honesty. He has to be committed. Trusting. Tidy. Not anal and fussy, just not an unbearable slob. Good-looking—I mean to me. Not necessarily a hottie hard-body, but a man I find attractive, you know? And bear in mind, I think Liam Neeson is hot,” she added, making Cam laugh. “He has to like children. I know it’s the kiss of death to say that to a new boyfriend, so I try to keep it to myself, but I want children. At thirty-one, I don’t have all that much time left. He should make a decent living. And find me irresistible.”

He sat back in some surprise. “That’s a very good list. A well-thought-out list.”

“Thank you. I put a lot of time into it.”

He shook his head. If he were to make a list, that one would suffice. In fact, he couldn’t think of a thing on that list he couldn’t fulfill, if the woman found him attractive, that is. And yet, he was still alone. “A perfect list.”

“I consider those things the basics.”

“Okay, so where were the men in your life falling short?”

She took a thoughtful sip of her drink. “Hmm,” she hummed. “Frankly, in the children and finding me irresistible departments. A little bit in the tidy area. And so far the men I thought were trusting simply didn’t give a crap. And that commitment thing? I’ve run through a long line of cheaters. Which I guess implies they were also dishonest.”

She smiled at him. “This isn’t Kool-Aid. I’m a little light-headed.”

“Good. That’ll get your mind off the wedding. So, Brandy, have you compared your counter-list to your list of requirements? You’re falling for handsome, funny men who make plenty of money and are good at number one.” He smiled at her shocked expression—his deduction was completely accurate. “I’m way smarter than I look.”

“You’re not at all drunk. That was sharp.”

His smile vanished and he looked into her eyes. “I’m really glad you didn’t wait for the bouquet.”

“I think I am, too,” she said.

“You’re beautiful when you laugh.”

“You’re coming on to me,” she said. “It was subtle before.”

“I’ve had at least three drinks,” he said. “My subtlety is out the window.”

“At least?”

“There was wine with dinner.”

He lifted her hand, turned it over and pressed a small kiss onto her wrist. The look on her face was one of surprise, maybe apprehension. She started to pull her hand away, but he held it. He slipped his other hand up her arm to cup her elbow and put his lips softly against the inside of her elbow. When he lifted his head and connected with her gaze, he found those warm brown eyes had grown darker. He put a hand on her waist and pressed his lips softly to her bare shoulder; he heard her inhale slowly. He leaned closer, his lips hovering just above hers. He could feel her breath on his mouth. “Brandy,” he whispered. She made a small sound as her eyelids slowly fell and he pressed his lips gently against hers. Her lips trembled beneath his so he pressed a bit more firmly, but he didn’t hold them long. When he pulled back he said, “I have excellent manners.”