Page 118 of The Incredible Ordinary

“Is that usually accurate?”

He scoffs and grins at me. “I don’t want to brag, but I’m one of the best in the business. I would make a killing if I starred in my own show.”

I bite back my smile. “The Medium of Park Slope.”

“You joke, but I could have a book deal in a snap.”

I laugh and shake my head. “And what does your gut tell you about us?”

“It’s cheating if I tell you everything. I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the joy of finding out on your own.”

“You’re so thoughtful.”

He gives an easy shrug and leans forward. “I’m just that kind of guy, I guess. But I will give you advice based on everything I already know. A hint to make good decisions, so to speak.”

I lean forward too. “I’m all ears.”

His smile is relaxed, but the look in his eyes is pure intensity.

“Try,” he says.

“That easy?”

“Try,” he says again. “With me. Try whatever you want with me, because we’re both reasonable people. All we need are some ground rules, and we need to agree to be open with each other and talk, and we’ll be fine.”

We’re both liars, and I suspect we both know it, because taking that step past the line of friends will erase any possibility of simply reevaluating and going back to the way things used to be. Life doesn’t work like that.

But I want it. I want him more than I want to contemplate the risks taking what he offers poses. There’s a small voice in the back of my head egging me on.

Go on. You never try anything. Just this once, take the leap into stupid.

And it is stupid.

I want to anyway.

It’s almost as if I’m a teenager again and not playing with a full deck of cards.

“Don’t overthink this,” Milán says.

I start to laugh. “Believe me, I’m not.”

“Good,” he says with clear approval before he turns serious. “Then let’s have some fun.”

He takes some of the pressure off with those words.

Fun.

It’s been a long time since I did something for fun. Something just for me.

“Let’s,” I say.

His smile is downright sinful. My heart picks up speed, banging in my chest.

The brakes are off. It’s full speed ahead.

And it’s exhilarating as fuck.

The restof the dinner should be awkward. I expect it to be awkward. Instead, we talk like we usually do and laugh until my face is sore from smiling.