Hate to Date You (Dating #4) - Monica Murphy Page 0,7

I know he’s just as clueless as me. I turn to look at him and I swear he’s staring at my boobs. The pervert. He lifts his gaze so it meets mine, and I drown in his pretty blue eyes for a second or five. “I’m glad you could join us.”

He practically chokes those words out, so I’m sure it took everything out of him to say it. “Same.” I wonder if he read my little message I wrote on cup. It was juvenile and silly, but I couldn’t help myself. And truthfully, I didn’t want him to poop himself. If he really is lactose intolerant, that’s a terrible thing to deal with.

Alex and Caroline keep the conversation flowing while we all look over the menus. I’ve only been here once before so I’m not sure what to order, and I hide behind the giant menu so I don’t have to look at Carter. And then he can’t look at me.

The server eventually appears, taking our drinks and appetizers order first, and we all order wine. Caroline orders hummus and Alex orders grilled calamari and all I can think is my appetite has totally disappeared thanks to Carter’s presence. All I want to do is drink.

But wine probably won’t be my friend tonight if I drink too much of it, so I remind myself to keep it balanced. Wine, water, wine, water, water, water and that’s it. I might end up peeing all evening, but it’s better than getting drunk.

Last time I got drunk at a restaurant with Carter, bad things happened. Well, bad things that felt good, I should add. Bad things that probably shouldn’t have happened.

Yeah, I can’t explain it well, so let’s just forget all about it.

The problem is I can’t forget. As the evening progresses, all I can focus on is Carter. Every time I see him reach out and dip a wedge of pita bread in the hummus, I think of those long fingers touching me. Clearly he’s not watching his wine intake tonight, because his cheeks are ruddy and his eyes are flashing and I can tell he already has a good buzz on. By the time our entrees are on the table and we’re moaning and groaning about eating too much, I would say he’s consumed too much wine and is well on the way to being full-blown drunk.

“Did your sister drive you here?” I ask him, my voice low so only he can hear me. Not like Alex and Caroline are paying us any attention. They’re too busy making lovey, kissy faces at each other.

“Are you concerned about my wellbeing, Stella?” He lifts his brows, those gorgeous blue eyes locked on mine, and all I can do is stare at him in return.

“You’re drunk,” I tell him bluntly. “You probably shouldn’t be on the road. Driving.”

“I took an Uber,” he says breezily, with an undercurrent of duh, Stella, of course I wouldn’t drive drunk. How dare you accuse me of being so irresponsible?

He’s so irritating.

“Thank God,” I mutter. “I’m sure you’d be a terror on the road. Risking people’s lives and all.”

“I’ve never driven drunk in my entire life,” he says, now sounding indignant. “I’m actually insulted you’d think I’d do something so awful.”

“So you’re a responsible drinker,” I say.

He nods. “Of course.”

“You don’t do anything risky when you’re drunk.”

His repeated nods start to slow. “Not…usually.”

We both grow silent, and the silence isn’t comfortable. Because we’re both thinking about that night, and how we both drank and did something risky. Like have sex with each other.

Yeah.

“You two are awfully quiet,” Caroline teases, knocking us both out of our memory-induced trance. We both swivel our heads to face her, completely in sync, and I want to curse and stomp my foot over how freaking compatible we seem.

But all that compatibility has to be a lie, or else we’d actually be together, right? Blissfully in love like the two people sitting across from us.

What I’m feeling for Carter isn’t anything close to love. No, more like I want to test my theory and make him a latte with whole milk to see how long he lasts until he has to scurry off to the bathroom.

I’m evil. God, I really am.

The server reappears, asking us if we want more wine, and the entire table practically shouts a resounding no. Caroline asks for a to-go box, and once the server is gone, we go silent again.

“You know, there’s something I was hoping we could discuss tonight,”