Tell Me You Want Me (Search and Seduce, #2)(41)

He just knew better than most that trying to defy your nature didn’t usually work out well for anyone. You had to find out who you were and then accept that, good or bad.

So is this really who she is?

She’d full-on jumped from a damn helicopter. What uptight, snobby women from his past would ever have done that? And this whole time he’d known her, she had been tough and demanding, but she’d always tried to better herself for herself. Not for anyone else.

“Distracted there, big guy?” East asked, snapping another harness next to him to check the restraint.

“I’m good.”

“Thinking about the manicure you’re going to get with the city girl?”

“Shut up,” Dex said. Like he’d ever get a manicure. Actually, if that’s what it took to spend time with Michelle, he likely would. Not that he was about to admit that to East, though. The confident prick would never let him live it down.

“Have you seen her lately?” East asked, still talking about Michelle.

Dex didn’t answer. Because no, he hadn’t seen her in a few days. He didn’t know what the hell to do. Not after the way she’d behaved after jumping into the water. On one hand, she’d proven that maybe she was different than all the other women like her. But then she’d pulled away. All but disappeared.

He liked her. And that was not a good thing. What was worse was that he’d actually thought for a moment she liked him back. Had hoped, at least.

“She was looking really fine at Natalie’s cupcake shop the other day,” East said. And Dex flared with jealously. He knew his friend was trying to get a rise out of him, and it was working.

“She’s a fine woman,” Dex said around clenched teeth, moving on to his next harness to inspect.

“Yep, if I had a woman like that interested in me, I sure wouldn’t be here right now.”

Dex dropped his harness on the table and faced East.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing, I just think it’s great you think you’re too good for her and all.”

That was the laugh of the year. “I don’t think I’m too good for her. She’s too good for me.”

“Aww, well isn’t that sad? Your feelings are hurt because she flaked on you? Treated you like crap?”

No, actually, she hadn’t done any of that. She’d treated him well. Never looked at him like he was less. But that wasn’t the point.

“She was looking for a good time. I gave that to her. That’s it.”

“If that’s all, then why have you been pissy these last few days?” East asked.

“I’m not. You’re making me pissy.”

“Nope, I think that ‘Good Time Dex’ is bummed because he wants the good times to keep going.”

“What I want is to check these harnesses and stop getting grilled by your ugly mug.”

“Ouch, and here I thought you were a smooth talker.”

He was! And that was the shit of it. He could handle women like Michelle when he knew the rules. Which were a night, a second night, maybe some morning sex. But more? No, he didn’t stick around for that, and they didn’t want him to stick around for that.

Easy, simple rules that kept him grounded. They were his tips for how to survive romantic entanglements.

And here he was coming dangerously close to breaking those rules.

Yeah, he wanted the good time to go on. And honestly, he had to get those last hours in. But his mom was right. He should have learned by now. Wanting Michelle and giving in to her were two totally different things. He knew better. He knew how this would end.

And it would end.

Then he’d be that guy she casually ran into at the supermarket. Not the kind of awkward place he wanted to end up. Not with her.

Deep down, he knew it was inevitable. Sooner or later. Her father picked out men for her for Christ sakes. And no way in hell would Dex ever be on that list. Even if he wanted to be.

“Well, at least you’ll get recertified and go back to the way things were,” East said with an exaggerated sigh.

Jesus, was his friend really trying to irritate him tonight?

“I still have a few hours left before Gage will sign off.”

And knowing Gage’s affinity for making his life hell, he’d make sure Michelle accounted for all the hours, down to the minute of training. There was no way Dex could explain the situation to Gage without coming across like an *. East was a single man, too, so at least he might understand. But Gage was so wrapped up in his Happily Ever After that he believed there was a happy ending waiting for everyone.

Dex knew that was bullshit. If he was ever going to find a happy ending with a woman, the last person he’d find it with was a woman like Michelle.

He had to see her again, though. To finish up this last part of training if nothing else.

But damn, he was hoping for something else.

Guess his skull was thicker than even he realized, because once again…he knew better. He was getting caught up on a city girl out of his league.

His phone pinged in his pocket, and he fished it out and read a text from Michelle. It was like the universe was listening and f*cking with him.

Michelle: I would like to see you. Tonight. Would you like that as well?

He smiled. She was direct. Stated what she wanted and asked his opinion in return. She also had amazing timing, because he was going on seventy-two hours with not a single fix of her, and he was getting edgy with withdrawal. All reason aside, he wanted another taste of her.