MacKenzie Fire(53)

She goes all serious and stern on me. “Have you slept with him yet?”

My jaw drops open with the suddenness of her approach. I lean back on the bed next to her. “Wha …?”

“Don’t play innocent with me. I’ve known you for way too long to fall for that.”

“I’ll have you know that I am an Ian-virgin, okay? Geez. I just met the guy.” I’m glad she can’t read my mind, otherwise she’d know that I’m fully prepared to sleep with him the very next time I lay eyes on his gorgeous self.

“Maybe you shouldn’t. Sleep with him, I mean.”

I look at her, trying to read her mind through her eyes. All I see there is sadness. “Why not?”

“Because. It could go bad.”

“What could go bad?” I shake my head at her. “You’re talking in riddles, Andie, and I have to tell you … it’s annoying as hell. I’m injured if you haven’t noticed.” I hold up my arm for confirmation. “And I have a headache. Just say whatever it is you need to say and be done with it.”

She stares at the floor for a really long time. I’m starting to think she’s fallen into a trance when she finally lifts her head up and speaks.

“I can tell you like him. I mean, really like him. But sweetie, Ian’s not into commitment. If you sleep with him, it’s a guaranteed broken heart for you, and I’d hate to see that happen.”

I scoff, trying to play off the way her words have made my heart leap and flip around. “Please. As if I’d fall for Ian MacKenzie.”

A small knock comes at the door and a head pops in. “You decent?”

Happiness fills me to the point that I feel like I’m about to choke on it. “Ian! You came!” He must have broken all land-speed records to get here this quick. Maybe he was already shopping for me when I called. Just the idea makes me go all warm and gushy inside.

He pushes the door open more fully and nods at Andie. “Andie.”

“Ian,” she says, standing. “Where’d you come from?”

“Store.” He holds up a bag that has a big red circle on it. “Got what you asked for.” Tossing it on the bed, he turns around to leave.

“Where are you going?” I ask, worried he’s about to abandon me.

“Thought I’d wait outside ’til you’re dressed.”

I smile at Andie and give her the look. “Isn’t that polite of you, Ian. Thank you so much.”

“Sure.” He’s outside the door before Andie has a chance to say anything else in his presence.

She shakes her head. “You are seriously going to regret this. Mark my words.”

“That is just mean, Andie.” I shake my head. “I don’t get you. Why are you being like this? Is it lack of sleep or something? Hormones?” I pause, suddenly remembering she just had a baby. Duh. “It’s hormones, isn’t it?”

Andie turns sideways and takes my hand. “Babe. Listen to me. Ian is a sweetheart when he wants to be. I’m not arguing that. But he is not into commitment, do you understand what I’m saying? He’s had years to settle down and he’s done the exact opposite, okay? He’s raising hell in town every weekend, he drinks too much, he sleeps around. He’s not your type.”

I pull my hand from hers and take the bag Ian tossed into the room, opening it up to see what’s inside. “He hasn’t slept with old Banana, I’ll have you know. She was lying about that.”

“Whatever. If it wasn’t her, it was someone else. And I know you. You’re not the fling type. You say you are, but you aren’t.”

I frown at her. Some kind of alien has taken over my BFF’s body, apparently. Andie would know better than to say that about me. “What are you talking about? I have flings.”

“Name one.”

I lift my chin. This is an easy one. I fling around all the time. I’m the fling master. I’m a flinger of the highest degree. They call me the fling dinger. “Matthias.”

“You wanted to bear his children. You told me that after your first and only date. That is not a fling. It’s an obsession and the exact opposite.”

“I was only joking.” He was super cute, though. He had awesome DNA. I could see it in his cheekbones. You can tell a lot from a man’s cheekbones and other facial features.

“I still remember the baby names you told me you were going to use,” she says frowning, giving me the Andie evil-eye.

“Fine.” She wins that one. But I have more. Lots more. “What about Jason?”

“When he didn’t call after your third date you practically stalked him.”

I gasp. “I did not! I would never!”

“Okay, maybe stalk is a strong word, but you did friend him under a fake name on Facebook so you could check his relationship status and photos.”

My face burns with the memory. “I had too much wine. I can’t be held responsible for that night.”

“I’m just saying … you’re not the fling type. Your heart is too big for that kind of nonsense.”

I think about her comment for a few seconds before responding. “I do have a pretty big heart, that’s true. But I don’t think it means I can’t have a little fun while I’m here.” I have plenty of other fling stories to challenge her with, but there’s no point now. She’s made up her mind about me and about Ian.