Page 13 of Good Time Boyfriend
“It has a kick to it. Yours is like sweet and peppery at the same time. It all balances.”
“I’m going to have to work out an extra hour tomorrow for this. It’s not great for my arteries.”
“No, but you’re allowed to indulge every once in a while. It’s good for you.” I winked as I said it, hoping she caught the double entendre. I wasn’t trying to be subtle. “So, what do you do for a living?”
“Is that how you begin to get to know someone?”
“I could ask your favorite color, or where you see yourself in five years. I haven’t dated in a while. Even someone I’ve been with for a year.”
She took another bite, then chugged down some water because those fries were spicy as fuck. “I work in PR for a firm and subsidiary. In other words, my bosses move money, make money, and try to help society, and I put the spin on it.”
“And are you good at it?” I asked, snacking on a ranch fry.
“Sometimes I think so. I really love my boss. She moved here a couple years ago and began the business right away. She’s brilliant at expanding small businesses that want to reach out into other parts of Colorado, and even into Wyoming, but want to keep that small-business feel.”
“So does she buy up properties or businesses?”
“Not exactly, it’s more of a fifty-fifty symbiotic thing, like you and your food truck.”
“That’s good. Big business without being too big.”
“That’s my job. Plus, she owns a matchmaking company. It’s kind of interesting how it all works, though none of the staff uses the matchmaking company. At least none of my friends on the staff.”
“So, how does that help showing off the goods if you don’t trust it?”
“It’s not that; it’s more that I was so focused on work, and building my own career, that finding a boyfriend wasn’t really on top of my priorities.”
“And then your family decided to make it a priority.”
She rolled her eyes as she snacked on the fries, but the spice didn’t seem to bother her. Damn it, she was beautiful. “Yes, and it’s just weird because usually they stay out of my business. Which I know is strange to say because it didn’t look like it earlier. But they do give me space. They just want me to be as happy as they are. All five of them are married with kids. And I guess I’m next in line since the rest are still teenagers.”
“Talk about an age gap.”
“Exactly. I know as soon as the next set get out of college, that matchmaking will begin, but I really didn’t want any part of it. I don’t know, it’s weird.”
“I can see how it is. I’m the big brother though, so I sort of want to take care of all of my family’s problems, even though they don’t always let me.”
“You can’t take care of everyone’s problems, but you can help if they ask.”
“We’re not good at asking,” I said.
She met my gaze and nodded. “I get it. I guess youarethe big brother. I’m the perpetual middle. I’m not very good at trying to solve everyone’s problems, because I’m trying to solve my own. Or at least lie about them.” She wiped her hands on the paper napkin. “I still can’t believe I lied about you. And you went along with it.”
That blush looked damn good on her skin, but that couldn’t be the only reason I wanted to know more about her. “It was an interesting night. It’s a story.”
“And it’s embarrassing. At least my family’s not worried about me being the sad virgin anymore,” she said before blushing hard. “Okay, I can’t blame it on the alcohol this time. I can’t believe I just said that.”
“I really don’t mind you talking about that. Though I don’t know a lot of women in their twenties that are virgins anymore. Not that there’s anything wrong with either,” I added quickly. It wasn’t as if I’d ever had this kind of conversation before. Devney was all new experiences, it seemed.
She waved her hand at me. “I know that virginity is a construct, and it really doesn’t matter if you hold it or not. I think it’s more of the idea that I’ve never been with anyone. I have no idea why I’m telling you about this.”
“Because we’ve been together for a year now.”
“See? That just makes me feel even worse.”
I reached out and put my hand on hers. She froze, before her chest started to rise and fall rapidly. She didn’t look scared. No, she liked my touch.
Good. Because I liked touching her.
