Entice - By Ella Frank Page 0,38
asked with a smirk.
“Hey, man, I was always this way. You’re just feeling sensitive right now because Sexy Shelly closed the lid of the cookie jar.”
Josh shook his head and placed the now empty bottle back on the counter.
“I never got into the cookie jar.” Well, maybe I dipped my fingers in a little—okay, bad pun—but nothing else.
“So, why the secret? And why is she here tonight with her boss if you two are—well, you know—heating up the sheets?”
“Because we’re not. We fooled around in the parking lot and today at her office, but that’s it.”
Mason’s mouth fell open as he asked quietly, “At her office? In the hospital?”
Josh felt a smug grin spread across his lips and nodded. “Yep. She made sure she gave me a very thorough physical.”
“Ha! I really didn’t think you’d touch her since you dubbed her the Man-Eater.”
“Yeah, me either.”
Mason finished his beer and pushed off the counter, walking toward the door. “You never told me why she doesn’t want to date you.”
Josh shrugged, following him. “She didn’t make any sense, but she said something about losing focus and ending up wanting too much.”
Mason stopped and stated, “Well, surely, that isn’t a bad thing.”
“Apparently, it is when you’re Shelly Monroe.”
Chapter Nine
The dinner wrapped up fairly quickly after the disaster in the kitchen. Shelly had barely glanced at Mason or Josh the whole way through dessert, and once that was gone, she stood, grabbed Roger’s arm, and pulled him out the door. Lena had watched her carefully but kept quiet, and Shelly had to wonder just how long it would take Mason to share his juicy gossip.
As Roger walked her to the lobby door of her condo, she was so preoccupied with thoughts about Josh and how she’d been looking forward to finally getting into bed with him. Now that the opportunity was gone, she totally missed the cue that Roger McKinney was leaning in for a good night kiss.
Completely blindsided, Shelly froze and clamped her mouth shut. Feeling her tension, Roger stepped back, giving her a regretful look.
“This,” he said, motioning between them, “isn’t going to happen, is it?”
Shelly sighed and shook her head with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Roger.”
He smiled at her and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Nah, don’t be. It’s okay.” He paused and then asked, “You and Bob the Builder—there something going on there?”
“No!” she answered a little too quickly for her own good.
Roger nodded, reaching out to stroke a hand down her cheek, “Well, maybe there should be.”
Shelly felt her mouth open, and then shut without saying anything.
What can I say?
She didn’t want to date a man that was unreliable, especially in this economy. Been there, done that. “Not going to happen.”
“Hmm. Well, I’m going to leave you to it.”
She watched as he started to walk down the path back to his car.
Then, he stopped and turned to her. “Shelly?”
She looked at him and smiled. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for taking me tonight. I had a good time.”
Giving him a genuine smile, Shelly nodded, wishing there was something there.
“You’re welcome, Roger. Drive safe.”
He waved, walking back to his car. “Sure will. Have a good night!”
***
Josh just walked through the door to an excited ninety-pound Mutley, who was currently jumping up on his hind legs and placing his huge paws on Josh’s chest. Reaching up to scratch his dog’s head, he smiled as Mutley ran a huge tongue up his cheek.
“Hey, boy. How you doing?”
Mutley’s tail wagged as his mouth fell open, letting the same wet tongue loll there as though he was grinning. Pushing him down, Josh watched the dog circle him, and then he made his way through the hall down to the kitchen.
“Want some dinner, buddy?”
Sitting by his bowl patiently, Mutley looked at him as if to say, Well, yeah, genius.
Moving to the pantry, Josh pulled out the dog food and went over to grab Mutley’s bowl.
He was still thinking about the evening and Shelly’s quick departure after the scene in the kitchen.
He didn’t understand why she was so upset about Mason knowing they were involved. No, not involved. That implied they knew one another, which they certainly didn’t. Fooling around—those were the words he was looking for.
For some reason, she wanted to give off the impression that she was interested in men who were, as far as Josh could tell, so boring they could put her to sleep.
Why? That’s what he wanted to know. What did she mean she didn’t want to get involved with someone like me