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“I don’t like this either.” I will my cheeks to return to their normal color.
“Then why watch it? Is there nothing else on?” He takes a seat next to me on the couch, keeping a safe distance between us, though my body tingles as if he's close enough to touch. That's how strong the hum is when he's near.Every. Time. He's. Near.
“I actually recorded it. I promised Hollie and the girls I’d try to watch it since they swear it’s the best show on TV.”
“And? Is it?”
“It’s better than football.” I actually dislike them both equally, but since he’s so determined to make me like football, I like to tease him now and again. I bite my lip to hide the smile threatening to expose my ruse.
“You did not just say that. There is no way a bunch of cat-fighting women could be more interesting…”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes. “Got stuck on cat-fighting women, huh?”
“Maybe I should watch an episode, just to see.” I feel the coy grin he gives me deep in my belly, and take a deep breath to calm the butterflies.
“No cat-fights yet, but this one Shannon definitely has claws.” I point to the bleached blonde with generous cleavage. “It’s probably only a matter of time before they come out. Hollie is pulling for the nice girl, Cameron I think, but the bachelor seems to enjoy Shannon’s assets.”
“You sure seem to know a lot about this show for not liking it.” Wes props his feet on the coffee table as he sinks into the cushions. Despite his large frame, the movement is oddly graceful, holding my attention longer than it should.
“It’s not difficult to follow. Just painful." I force my gaze back to the show. "Some people actually think they’ll find love this way and others are hoping it will catapult them to fame. You can spot which is which pretty quickly.” I don’t mention how similar these women are to my dad’s numerous girlfriends.
“That’s what passes for good TV with your friends?”
“Apparently.” I give him an awkward smile, hoping he doesn’t start associating my taste with theirs.
We watch in silence for a while as the bachelor goes on three different dates. Most of them are casual, a hiking date for a cute redhead, paddle-boarding for Cameron. When it comes to his date with Shannon, he pulls up in a stretch limo and takes her to an elegant restaurant where they have a private room to dine. Wes furrows his brow.
“What’s with the fancy stuff when the other girls had outdoor dates?”
“I don’t think she’s the outdoorsy type.”
“But the bachelor seems like an outdoorsy guy.” He gestures toward the TV with an airy wave of his hand. “Why not take them all on the same type of date so he can find the person who likes the same things he does?”
“That’s too logical. The show would be over in a few episodes instead of twelve.” I say a little thank you that my dad has never starred in this show, because I’m now realizing how perfect he’d be for it.
“Isn’t the whole point to find the right person?” He frowns at the TV.
“Supposedly.”
“Then why bother with this fancy date that isn’t his style? Better yet, why bother with Shannon? She’s clearly not his type. Why not have more dates with the women that are his type?” He gestures toward the screen as it recaps the outdoorsy dates.
“You think you know his type?” I’ll be impressed if he can call that after one episode.
“It’s not Shannon, she’s too aggressive. She practically climbed him in the car.”
Personally, I agree, though I like playing devil’s advocate. “He didn’t seem to mind.”
“He was distracted by the boobs shoved in his face.”
I want to ask if he’s speaking from experience, but I’m afraid to know the answer.
“Well, those boobs seem to put Shannon at the top of his list.” I feel myself blushing. The last thing I expected to talk about with my gorgeous soon-to-be-stepbrother is boobs.
“They’re hard to ignore, I’ll give you that,” he says. “Not every guy picks boobs over brains. This guy has trouble holding eye contact with Shannon. He might be attracted to her physically but he’s not into her as a person.”
“Doesn’t mean he won’t pick her.” I’m still needling him, but only because I’m curious. I want to hear him say what type of guy he is.
“If he does, I’d have to seriously question his judgement.” That's exactly what I hoped to hear, though Wes sounds so patronizing I can’t help it, I burst into a fit of laughter. “What?” He balks.
