a super alpha male move. Even Josh froze up.”
I could hear Josh laughing in the background.
Someone knocked on my door.
“I’m going to kill you guys,” I hissed, hanging up on her.
I slumped in the middle of my living room with palms to my eyeballs. How was I going to get through tonight? I couldn’t do this.
My hands were shaking. Not because my blind date was standing outside, but because of Jason. I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself.
Adrian knocked again. That playful, musical knock that friends do when they come over.
“Hold on, one second,” I called, hearing the trembling in my voice.
I took another deep breath. I shoved the envelope with the tickets and Zane’s letter into my purse and smoothed down my dress, took one more moment to compose myself, and then I opened the door.
The man standing in my hallway wore a dark-green V-neck sweater with the sleeves rolled up and jeans. He was holding a piñata shaped like a cupcake. “Hi,” he said, giving me a dazzling smile. “I’m Adrian. You must be Sloan.”
Well, Kristen was right. Adrian Copeland was gorgeous. Green eyes, close-clipped beard, a nice body.
I was 100 percent not interested.
He held out the piñata. “I was told to bring this up?” he said, looking amused.
I rolled my eyes. “Of course you were,” I mumbled, taking it and setting it on a table inside the door.
Tucker spilled out into the hallway, jumping excitedly on Adrian’s legs. He crouched down to pet him. “Hey there, little guy.” He smiled up at me while he ruffled my dog.
He was checking me out. Big-time. He wasn’t even trying to hide it. His eyes dropped down my body and came back up with a grin.
A fierce blush roared up my neck.
The letter had me so flustered I couldn’t even think straight. All I could think about was what Zane had said. I wasn’t in the right headspace to deal with what I’d just learned, let alone this stranger who was trying to date me, here in my doorway, shamelessly ogling me and playing with my dog—Jason’s dog—Jason, who was here in my city and hadn’t come to see me because he broke up with me and didn’t want me anymore.
My other eyelid twitched once, just to remind me that today could still get worse.
“I’m sorry,” I said, reaching for Tucker’s collar. “He gets really excited when people come over. Tucker, let’s go.”
“It’s fine,” Adrian said. “I like dogs.” He let Tucker lick his chin.
God. I was two seconds from maniacal cackling.
Tucker finally finished with him and ran back into the apartment and Adrian stood.
Time to get this over with.
I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder. Then I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door.
“I’m glad I have you alone for a minute,” Adrian said from behind me as I bolted the lock. “I actually wanted to talk to you before we went down.”
“Okay.” I turned to him.
My eyelid was having a seizure. I squeezed it shut and stood there looking up at him with one eye. I was positive I looked insane. My face was bright red and I had to cross my arms and tuck my hands into my armpits to keep them from visibly shaking.
But he smiled at me anyway. “I heard some of Kristen’s phone call with you earlier. I know you just broke up with someone and this date’s a little jarring for you.”
Oh God. I shook my head. “It’s not—”
He put up a hand. “It’s fine.” He gave me a smile. “I’m only in town for a few days and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to have dinner in Los Angeles with a beautiful California woman—even if she is unavailable. I just wanted to let you know that this is a zero-expectation situation. I’ve already been told that if I even so much as shake your hand tonight without your express consent, I’ll be punched in the forehead.”
I snorted, my face going soft, and I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Josh is really protective of me.”
“It wasn’t Josh.” He gave me an arched eyebrow. “So does Kristen hit hard, or…”
He actually managed to draw a laugh from me.
Adrian dipped his head to look me in the eye. “Look, let’s just have a good time,” he said. “Let me buy you some drinks and see if I can’t make you have some fun. Deal?”
He waited patiently for my reply. I relaxed a little. Taking the