He’s going to say no.Okay, that’s okay. Plenty of other fish in the sea and all that. Probably not pretty, sparkly fish like him, but maybe there are shiny enough ones around somewhere. Just not at the bar I went to tonight.
“I can honestly say I’ve never been propositioned like that.”
I huff out a laugh. “I would hope not.”
“When did you move from Boston?”
“October,” I say slowly. It feels like I can see him doing the mental calculation for when I last had sex.
“And you want to do this…tonight?”
Wait, is he considering this?“Well, yes? If you’re…you know…up for it,” I ramble, cringing at the unintended innuendo.
Matt smiles again, blessedly ignoring my bad choice of words. “What would you have done if we hadn’t run into each other tonight?”
I hesitate. “Gone to bed?” I suggest.
“And who is going to rip the Band-Aid if I don’t?”
I cannot believe this conversation is happening. “Well, you see, tonight was the first night I was, uh, actively looking, if you will.”
Please kill me.
The side of his mouth curves. “Looking for what, Ellie?”
“A proper suitor for the occasion,” I tell him with a straight face.
Matt barks out a laugh. “That’s very cute. Okay, am I the first proper suitor you’ve propositioned?”
I nod.
“What is it that makes me a proper suitor?” His grin turns wicked and that’s when I realize he is trying to make me work for this.
Game on.
“Convenience,” I say sweetly and bat my eyelashes.
Matt lets out another laugh and shakes his head. “Fine, I’ll stop fishing for compliments.” He pauses. “So if I’m practice, who’s endgame?”
CHAPTER SIX
MATT
Ellie’s faceloses some of the humor, but her smile remains.
“I’m not sure yet,” she says with a shrug.
“No criteria in mind?” I ask her. I want to know what she’s looking for and if I’m really only going to be a passing ship here.
She grabs her water glass and takes a sip before setting it back down. She hums as she glances around her apartment for a few moments. She’s not smiling anymore—she looks thoughtful. I sit up straighter in my seat.
“I guess I want a real partner,” she says a little shyly, like she’s not sure it’s a good answer.
I sober at what she said, my shoulders falling forward. That’s somehow both a simple and complex answer at the same time. “Like someone who prioritizes you?” I ask. That type of thing is not really a big ask for most people. Professional athletes though? It can be. And it sums up why most of my previous relationships didn’t work out.
“Kind of? I would prioritize them too, though. Obviously there is a lot that goes into it, but I want someone who builds a lifewithme. Not around me or for me. If that makes sense.”
“What kind of plans was this ex making without you?” I hedge. Now I’m curious as shit. I try to be patient as I watch Ellie think, tilting her head from side to side.
