Page 118 of Nobody's Girl

As she swung, she had to smile and think to herself that Phoenix seemed to be trying to get her to admit she’d found love at first sight with him— a thought that was hilarious in her mind.

Phoenix had no idea why it was getting to him so badly as he blurted out, “Well, I think you liked me when you first saw me.”

“I didn’t know you at that time. So I didn’t like you just by looking at you. Did I think you were hot? The answer to that is hell, yes. But I didn’t like you until we talked and you kissed me. Then I liked you very much. But I have no idea about anything other than that. You’re a bit closed off. A bit secretive about who you really are. That’s off-putting.”

He stopped the swing and went around to get in front of her then pushed her away from him as he said, “I could tell you more about myself tonight, after dinner. If you’d go with me somewhere afterward.”

“Hmm, a hotel, maybe?” she asked with a grin as the swing came up to him and he pushed it back.

He smiled, and the next time the swing came up, he grabbed it and kissed her, then let it go, and she swung away from him. It made her giggle, and he found the sound intoxicating. “Maybe a hotel. If you want to do that.”

“I don’t.”

“I think you would like to, but I won’t push you on that. So, how about drinks after dinner? Since you told me that your mother’s making haggis, I think I might need a drink or two.”

“Knocking my mother’s cooking before you’ve even tried it, Phoenix?”

“It’s guts cooked in a stomach, Cait! Yeah, I’m knocking it.” He laughed, but his tummy clenched as he thought about actually having to eat the dreadful stuff.

“You said you like authentic Mexican food, Phoenix. Haven’t you ever eaten menudo?” she asked him as she put her feet down to stop the swing.

“I have,” he said. “It’s delicious.”

“And that’s guts too,” she said, then got off the swing, taking his hand again and walking to the edge of the pond.

“But that’s different,” he argued.

“I don’t see how,” she said as she swung their clasped hands between them. “If you don’t want to come eat, you don’t have to. I won’t hold it against you.”

But he knew she would, so he changed his attitude about the dinner. Stopping, he pulled her up into his arms and leaned his forehead against hers. “You know what? I’d eat anything as long as I could be around you, Caity-cat.”

With another kiss, he melted her heart, and she wished like hell it wasn’t all an act. She could see herself falling for the guy if he he’d been legit and not just trying to win a bet.

Chapter 20

The array of vehicles that were parked in front of the Flannigan’s home was dizzying. It had the neighbors gossiping about why on earth there would be a Lamborghini, a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, and a horse-drawn carriage all at the same time parked by the curb of the modest home.

Kel and Ethan had taken their dates to the backyard as they waited for dinner to be served. Sipping on some Chardonnay, the two were talking about how pretty Ireland was in the summer and how Kel should take the time to visit Scotland that coming summer.

When the back door opened with a loud squeak, the two saw four more people coming to join them. “Hey, you two,” Jess called out. “Mind if we join you?”

Kel shook her head as Ethan frowned at his friends, who he considered to be interfering with his progress with Kel. The others took lawn chairs, pulling them close to their dates. “Wine me, Kel,” Cait said as she held out two wine glasses she’d picked up as she went through the kitchen. “Mom told me you brought a bottle out here.”

“I did,” Kel said and passed the bottle of wine to her sister. “You can wine your own self, Cait.”

With a shrug, Cait filled their glasses. Jess and Griffin brought a couple of beers with them and sat back in their chairs, looking at the night sky. Griff put his arm around Jess and whispered, “You cold, baby?”

She wiggled into his chest. “A little.”

Kel and Cait exchanged glances at their younger sister’s interactions with the man who was all about the bet and not all about their baby sister. When Kel noticed Griff was moving in to kiss Jess, she said, “So, how’d your date go, Jess?”

Jess’s eyes had been glued on Griffin’s, and she had to drag them away to look at her oldest sister. “Fine. Well, not just fine. Great. Awesome. Beyond anything I ever could’ve imagined.”

Kel looked at Ethan with a smile. “Not better than ours went, I guarantee.”

Ethan took her hand and held it against his cheek as he said, “Ours was pretty spectacular, wasn’t it, love?”