Page 72 of The Bluffing Game

“No, no, no. He knows I’m on the app. Actually, there’s a very rich and good-looking guy who messaged me this morning, and I’m going to schedule a date with him. His name is Parker, and he seems really nice. I just …” My voice trails off, and I sigh.

So far, Parker seems like a perfect match for me. Gorgeous, wealthy, great sense of humor, and genuinely interested, but I still can’t stop thinking about Dalton.

“Okay, girls, don’t judge me, but Dalton is so cute and so charismatic. Maybe it’s because I see him a lot at work and all that, but I can’t stop thinking about him. But I know,” I add, “he’s not the one. He doesn’t fit what I’m looking for, not to be rude or anything.”

I look over at Lucia.

“Don’t worry; no offense taken.” She laughs. “Dalton is the ultimate bachelor.”

“I just think he can kiss really well.”

“Oh my gosh, I don’t want to hear about you kissing my brother.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She pretends to puke. “I guess he has to kiss someone.”

“Yeah.”

Rosie whispers to me, “So, you’re going to kiss him again?”

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.

The smart part of me knows I shouldn’t, that I’m making my life complicated. But the other part of me doesn’t care about being smart. It cares about having fun and seeing what would happen with Dalton. It isn’t like I am stopping myself from dating anyone else. I’m not. And Dalton knows I am dating, so it isn’t like I am fooling him. I just need to be wise about what I am doing. I can’t allow myself to fall for him because that would be the absolute worst thing. I feel like I am playing with fire, and it is only a matter of time before I am going to get burned.

I know I can’t have Dalton and Parker, but I’m just not ready to let go of whatever flirtation Dalton and I have been engaging in just yet. He is truly the only man I’ve ever met in my life who can make me feel the way he does, and annoy me, and still make me want to kiss him senseless. I need to get him out of my system.

Chapter 20

DALTON

“Hey, Rosie. Are you nearly ready?” Sage calls out to her sister, and I can’t help but listen in.

Rosie hurries over to the side of the room, a tray of dirty glasses in her hand. We stand by the register, and she looks around the restaurant. “It’s really busy this evening, and I told Lucia that I would stay and work the evening shift.”

“Oh, man. I have a date, and I have to go home and get ready.” Sage looks nervous. “I guess I can always take an Uber or something so you can have the car.”

I head over to them and give her a smile, hoping she doesn’t think I was deliberately eavesdropping. “I couldn’t help but overhear you, and I think I can offer a⁠—”

“Nope,” Sage says quickly.

“Nope what?”

“Nope, I can’t babysit Toby tonight. I’m sorry. I have a date—a very promising date—and I cannot be rude again.” She gives me a pointed look, and I fake an apologetic smile.

“Actually, I don’t need you to babysit Toby, but thank you for not offering.” I present her with a wry smile. “I was going to say, I can give you a ride home and then drop you off at your date if you want.”

She looks at me in surprise, her eyes studying mine for a couple of seconds. Like she’s trying to figure out whether this is a real offer. “I guess so, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. Consider this an apology for me ruining your date the other night.” I look down and pretend to bow. “The lady wasn’t able to make it to the ball, and that was my fault. Is your date tonight with the same Prince Charming …” I stop as she glares at me. “Still a sore spot, me calling him Prince Charming?”

“Not at all; however, it turns out he actually was not happy that I missed the last date, and I never heard from him again.” She taps her fingers against her thigh and stares at me expectantly.

“I am so sorry. I really didn’t mean to ruin your date.”

“It’s okay,” she says, shrugging. “Tonight should be much better. Parker seems like he’s really nice and funny, and we’re going to grab drinks and dinner. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Okay, shall we get going then? I wouldn’t want you to not be able to dress up as much as you might want to so that you can impress Spider-Man.”