Page 32 of Not So Fast
“No fucking way. He kissed you? How are you still alive?”Jasmine cracked open a beer, then plopped down in one of two mismatched camping chairs on Mia’s tiny apartment balcony.
Mia shook her head in disbelief, looking out over her building’s parking lot, the Texas night air hanging heavy and the memory of Xander’s kiss humming on her lips. “I know. It’s a miracle.”
“And to think you gave me shit for flirting with our waiter. Meanwhile, you’re making out with one of the hottest men in the world.”
“We didn’t make out. I panicked and pushed him away then ran off.”
Jasmine patted Mia’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
That was a real comfort—Jasmine had way more game than Mia. “Weirdly, it doesn’t seem like it dissuaded him.”
“Let me see the texts.”
Mia gripped her phone tightly for a moment, feeling strangely protective, then handed it over. Jasmine’s insight was worth far more than keeping this private.
The ambient light from the screen lit her up in profile. “Dude. He’s hot for you.”
“Me? He’s hot for me. How does that make any sense?”
“Girl, do not make me explain all the reasons you are awesome. You’re smart and hilarious and probably just as obsessed with his sport as he is.”
“I’m obsessed with F1 a normal amount.”
“If you say so.” Jasmine handed over the phone. “Also, I’m regularly jealous of your boobs. So, yes, he’s hot for you and I am not surprised.”
Mia glanced down at her cleavage. Shewaspacking some above-average heat. “So I’m not reading this wrong?”
“It’s only a matter of time before you two are having phone sex. My advice? Do not do it over FaceTime. It’s not as hot as it sounds.”
Mia’s stomach did about fifty somersaults. “What? No. I don’t think that’s where this is going. Why would he do that?”
“Like I said, hot for you.”
Turned out Jasmine saw something in those texts that had eluded Mia. The next night, Xander upped the stakes.
Tell me what you were really thinking when I kissed you.
Mia instantly went into panic mode, which was not good since she was trying to wind down and had hoped to get some sleep.
Gentlemen first.
The dreaded dots appeared. They kept going and going and going while her pulse only matched the rhythm.
I was thinking that I’m made of metal and you’re a magnet. It felt like I had no free will.
Oh, shit. Could he have said anything more devastatingly sexy? No. The answer to that question was no.
Yeah right.
I’m serious. You’re one of the most beguiling women I’ve ever met.
Beguiling? Who used that word in a text exchange? Actually, Mia was known to bust out such gems as superfluous and plethora.How sheloveda man with a top-notch vocabulary. It was such a turn-on.
Now you, he said.
Fuck. Okay.Brain, it’s time to do your best, she thought, then started typing something sarcastic.
When you kissed me, I was thinking one of the sexiest men in the world might have suffered a brain injury.
