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“I’m glad he’s not as bad as we thought he was,” Macy said. “But you still haven’t commented on what it’s like to spend every day with a guy that hot. If you’re playing tennis together, you must be on pretty good terms.”
She was digging for information in her typical Macy sort of way, but we’d been friends for so long that I knew what she was really asking. “He’s ridiculously hot,” I admitted. “And yes, I’m attracted to him. How could I not be? The guy is physical perfection, and that damn British accent does something to my hormones that I can’t explain. Even worse, I actually can’t help but like him.”
Even more beguiling was the fact that the haunted, dead look in Dylan’s eyes had slowly faded and had been replaced with amusement, intelligence, and animation.
It wasn’t like I couldn’t see or sense that Dylan was still in pain, but at least it wasn’t as intense as it had been when I’d first arrived.
“You do realize that he’s probably heartbreak waiting to happen, right?” Macy warned. “Maybe he is nice, but we also know he’s a player.”
I often reminded myself that Dylan was no angel, but I had my doubts that he was really a heartless jerk with women, especially if he hadn’t gotten laid in over two years. “No worries,” I assured her. “I’m very well aware that he’s not boyfriend material, but that doesn’t mean I’d mind burning up the sheets with him.”
“If you already know that, and he’s been that nice to you, then have a fling with him,” Macy suggested. “How often do women like us get the chance to get hot and heavy with a drop-dead handsome billionaire? If you’re going in with your eyes wide open, and you like him, go for it. Isn’t that what we encouraged Nicole to do with Damian?”
“That was different,” I sputtered. “It was obvious that Damian was crazy about her. Dylan Lancaster doesn’t want me that way. You’re insane.”
“Of course he’s hot for you,” Macy said matter-of-factly. “You’re a gorgeous redhead with an amazing body, a kind heart, and a fantastic sense of humor. You’re also talented and intelligent.” In a softer voice, she added, “Kylie, please don’t let the things Kevin did and said dictate the way you look at yourself. You’re gorgeous, inside and out. If Dylan Lancaster doesn’t want to fuck you, there’s something wrong with him, but I have a feeling that you’re mistaken. Look, I know there have been guys since Kevin. Even a few boyfriends have come and gone, but when was the last time that you’ve really felt completely wanted?”
Tears sprang to my eyes as I looked at Macy’s worried expression. “Like you should talk about that?” I scolded her.
“We aren’t talking about me right now,” she reminded me. “We’re talking about you.”
If it hadn’t been for her and Nicole, I wasn’t sure how I would have survived all the things I’d gone through years ago.
We’d all stayed extremely close, even though we’d been separated by geography.
“I’m fine with who I am,” I insisted.
“I know that,” she conceded. “But that doesn’t mean you aren’t carrying just a little bit of baggage. Or maybe even a midsize suitcase. You deserve a guy who really sees you, Kylie, even if it doesn’t last forever. Does Dylan treat you with respect? Has he been good to you while you’ve been there? It sounds like he’s been there to help you with ACM when you needed it.”
I nodded as I impatiently swiped a tear from my cheek. “The first few days were rocky, but after that, he’s been amazing. He offers to take me out to dinner almost every night, so I don’t feel like I have to cook for both of us, which is ridiculous. And he helps me a lot every time I have a business meltdown. He comes and hangs out with me every single night at the pool like he just enjoys being with me for no good reason at all. I’ve never heard an unkind word from him since those first few days when we were trying to figure each other out. The crazy man even tried to tell me I was beautiful. God, even Jake adores him and follows him around like a puppy. I can tell he still has his own baggage, Macy, but he doesn’t take it out on me. I guess we’ve developed this bizarre kind of friendship that’s hard to explain.”
“Don’t tell me that you don’t think that there’s chemistry there on both sides, Kylie,” Macy insisted. “Any man who can’t stay away from you like that definitely wants to do you. I think you should take a chance and see what it feels like to have a guy who really sees you, even if it doesn’t last forever. It could change your whole perception of yourself. No offense, but I don’t think one single guy in your life has ever seen your worth.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was probably right. No, I knew she was right. “I’m an asshole magnet,” I agreed grimly.
I’d had a few hot one-nighters when I was younger, and I’d done the club scene after Kevin had died, but that was all they’d been since I hadn’t been ready for anything else.
Once I’d been ready to date again seriously, I just hadn’t connected with anyone who really gave a damn about me.
Eventually, I’d accepted the fact that I might end up alone, and I was okay with that—most of the time.
“No, you are not an asshole magnet,” Macy said adamantly. “The problem is, you just don’t feel like you deserve something better. Can you honestly say that you make any attempts to meet nicer guys anymore?”
I shook my head slowly. “I think I gave up.”
“Because you didn’t want to be hurt anymore. I get it,” Macy said quietly. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a woman being independent and single if that’s what she wants. Lord knows I’ve been happier that way. But that doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself off from any intimate relationships for the rest of your life, Kylie. I’m not saying to go out there, risk your heart, and fall for Dylan Lancaster. I just think it might not hurt to see what it feels like to spend some time with somebody who appreciates you.”
“When he tries to tell me I’m beautiful, I think he’s just being…nice,” I protested.
Macy snorted. “Guys don’t say that kind of thing just to be nice, Kylie. Maybe you should stop making your own assumptions and really listen to him next time. Be objective. You might be surprised by what you discover when he looks at you.”
I changed the subject, and we started talking about Nicole’s wedding, our dresses, and the arrangements we’d been making for Nic’s bachelorette day.
“At least think about what I said,” Macy requested right before we hung up.
“I will,” I promised before we ended our call.
I tossed my cell on the bed, trying to figure out if a few of Dylan’s heated looks that I’d written off as my imagination were actually…real.
I rose from the bed and shut that train of thought down in a hurry.
If I started getting too objective, I was afraid I might have to admit that the smoking hot chemistry I imagined between Dylan and I was a lot more than just a fantasy.
