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“What does that mean?”
“I was in school,” she clarified. “I no longer am. I graduated,” she added before he could ask. “In the spring. I just spent the last six months finishing up an internship.”
“Congratulations.” Cole raised his glass to toast her. She reluctantly met his cheers. “That’s fantastic. So now you’re an…”
“Accountant. Pretty exciting, isn’t it?”
“Honestly?” He laughed. “Not really. But I know that some people love that kind of thing. You strike me as one of those people who get excited by numbers.”
She made a noise halfway between a laugh and a snort. It was oddly sexy. “I would strike you as that type, wouldn’t I?”
“Am I wrong?” She sighed, and Cole got the distinct impression he’d said something very wrong. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m sorry if I—”
“No. You’re not wrong.” She interrupted him. “But you’re not right, either. I used to love numbers. I loved the idea of looking at them every day and making a career out of it. I mean, they’re black and white. Right or wrong. There is no gray or in between. I liked that about accounting. But lately…I’m not so sure. I’m just not really sure anymore that I want to spend the rest of my life being boring and predictable.”
Something in her tone told him there was a lot more behind her words than what she was saying. “And you think that being an accountant would be boring and predictable?” Hell,heknew it was. Just saying it out loud was boring. But obviously it was a new development for Amber.
“Can I tell you something?” she asked, instead of answering the question.
“Of course.”
Amber fiddled with the napkin in her hand for a moment. “I’ve only just graduated, and I already think I made a mistake.” She swallowed hard. “For the last few months, I’ve busted my ass for my internship. I got there early; I stayed late. I was always available on weekends and I did everything I could to learn everything I could because I justknewthat I wanted the job that I was absolutely sure they’d offer me. It’s the most prestigious firm in the country. It would be an amazing career move.”
“That’s great.”
“Is it?” She picked up her glass and drained it.
“Of course it is.” Cole didn’t really think so, but he wasn’t Amber. And from what he knew of Amber, it seemed as if it would be great.
“Well, they didn’t offer me the job when I left,” she said. “They said they had a few decisions to make and they’d get back to me.”
“Oh.”
She nodded and then shrugged. “But I think that might be okay, because I’m not so sure about it anymore.”
That took Cole off guard. “Why not?”
Amber gestured to the jug, so he dutifully filled her empty beer mug. She took another healthy gulp before she answered. “I’m sick of being boring. I’m ready for a little excitement in my life. Something fun and unpredictable.” The way she slammed her glass down, as well as the tone of her voice and the way she was looking at him, told Cole she’d definitely had just enough to drink to be chatty. And maybe to make some poor decisions, too.
As much as he would love for her to make some poor decisions with him, he was way too much of a gentleman for that.
He slid the basket of wings across the table. “You should probably have some more to eat.”
Amber knewshe was drinking too much. She was also talking too much, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. More importantly, she didn’twantto stop herself. She wanted to drink, talk, and flirt, and…maybe more.
That idea came out of nowhere. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. From the moment she realized it was Cole she’d sat on, her hormones had been in overdrive. Because it wasCole. Something about the man simply oozed sex. From the moment she’d met him years ago, he’d been the unspoken standard she’d always set for sexiness. Unspoken, because there was no way she could ever tell him that she thought he was the sexiest man alive. Never. And she could definitely never tell Josie.
That being said, Cole was the only man she’d ever fantasized about. Ever.
Even when she was with Randy—okay,especiallywhen she was with Randy—it was often Cole she was picturing.
But the only reason she’d let herself fantasize about Cole was because he wassafe.Untouchable—a fantasy. Nothing would or could ever happen between them. For one, Cole had been living on the other side of the world. Second, and most importantly, he was her best friend’s brother. Which was exactly why there was no way she would ever act on any attraction she might have for him. Not that she actually would, anyway. She didn’tdothings like that. Never mind the small—yet very important—detail that there was zero point zero zero chance that a man like Cole would ever be interested in a woman like her. They simply were not a match.
Amber ate two more wings before Cole spoke again. “For the record, I don’t think you’re boring.”
She almost choked. “Yeah, right.”
“It’s true. I don’t.”
