Hired Hottie - Kelsie Rae Page 0,22

a relationship or anything. Hell, have you even been kissed?”

I falter for a split second, unable to believe I’m having this conversation. And with Levi, of all people.

Kill me now.

Bonnie tugs on the leash to get my feet going, and I shake my head in an attempt to focus and not fall down the rabbit hole of what the hell is happening right now? I’m as innocent as they come. Hell, I’ve never even held hands with a guy. Why? Because the only one I’ve ever wanted to hold hands with has always been too busy sticking his up any skank’s skirt within a twenty-foot radius.

“I’m not sure that’s any of your business,” I mutter, shying away from him but rushing to keep up with Bonnie’s tugging.

“Hey.” Levi grabs my arm to stop my retreat. Body tense, I let him inspect me from head to toe, feeling more like an alien than a normal girl who’s begging for a guy to notice her. To notice her as a woman who has thoughts and feelings instead of a friend who needs dating advice.

“What’s wrong, Charlie?” he murmurs quietly.

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

I want to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Instead, I give him exactly what he’s asking for, and I don’t sugarcoat an ounce of it. “Fine. I’ve never been kissed. I’ve never been on a date. I’ve never done anything. Hell, I wasn’t even asked to a high school dance, remember? Is this what you wanted to hear?”

“Charlie—”

“Don’t.”

“Charlie—”

“Seriously. Don’t.” I shrug out of his hold, keeping a safe distance between us.

“Charlie, you were never asked to a dance because I told all the guys to leave you alone. I knew what the punks in high school were thinking and what they wanted, and I didn’t want them coming near you. I’m—”

“Levi, I really don’t care right now, and I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I’m not in the mood, okay? In fact, I think I’m going to take Bonnie for another mile. You can just drop off Buddy at Forever Grey. I’ll talk to you later.”

Then I run back down the hill in the opposite direction until the muscles in my legs ache as bad as the one in my chest.

He wouldn’t let guys come near me in high school? Why? That doesn’t make any sense. Especially when he’s so gung-ho about my current dating life.

Gah!

And they say girls are complicated?

My ass.

Chapter Ten

Levi

“Alright. If we’re going to make this work, then you gotta treat her like gold.” Pulling out a chair in the break room while knowing I only have five minutes before my next meeting, I watch Conner chew his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

After a few seconds, he swallows. “That won’t be a problem. Anything else?”

“You gotta promise me that she never finds out I had anything to do with this.”

“Deal.”

I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.

There was just something about this morning with her. I knew I’d been overprotective during high school, and that I probably shouldn’t have intervened so much with her dating life. But to hear that she’s never even been kissed? She’s twenty! How the hell is that even possible? What’s holding her back? She needs a push in the right direction, and if I have to make a deal with Conner to get her to live her damn life, then so help me, I will.

I breathe a slow sigh then rest my elbows on the table.

“Fine. I want you to know that I’m not just doing this for you or for the job. I’m doing this because she needs to get out of her shell, and I think she needs a little push in the right direction.”

There. I said it out loud. So, why am I still feeling so damn guilty?

“Then push away,” Conner replies, clearly invested in the conversation.

“She likes sports. She’s obsessed with baseball and running. Loves pizza and burgers. Hates fish. Her favorite candy is Nerds, though she’ll tell you it’s chocolate. She runs when she’s scared and almost never yells. When she’s nervous, she’ll pick at her clothes and avoid eye contact. She also––”

“Dude. First, you should probably just email me all this shit because there’s no way I’ll remember all of it. Second, how am I supposed to use this information?”

Frustrated, I run my fingers through my hair before blowing out another breath. “I’m not the one trying to date her. You are. I’m giving you all the ammo I can think of to make that happen,