“It’s really that hard?”
“Yeah,” he said glumly. “I think they’ve started a pool.”
Logan laughed so hard Connor wanted to kill him. “Shut the hell up, Logan.”
“Only you,” he managed to say, wiping his eyes. “Damn, Connor, most people would love to have that problem.”
“Not if they’ve sworn off dating.”
“Wow,” Logan said. “Connor McFarland swearing off dating. Am I in an alternate universe?”
“Ha-ha. The stupid pool is only about dating. I think. I don’t have a problem saying no. The problem is I’m afraid Sierra won’t believe me when I tell her I’m not taking them up on anything.”
“She’s bound to know this deal has to be at least partly on the honor system.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t know they were going to have a freaking pool going.” Disgusted, he glanced at his brother who was doubled over laughing.
“Ignore him. I think you’re just going to have to hope she trusts you to tell her the truth.”
“It’s not like I sleep with every damn woman I date anyway.” He was a little more discerning than that. “Don’t even,” he said to Logan.
Logan spread his hands. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
Bullshit, he wasn’t. “I don’t know how to get them to stop. It’s annoying as shit.”
“Just say no,” Cici said.
“I have. It’s not working. They’re getting worse. The other day one of the sales reps ambushed me at my truck.” He’d managed to get rid of her but not before she’d made it very clear that she was available for anything he had in mind. She’d had a hard time believing he was turning her down. With good reason. He supposed she’d rarely been told no since with her long blonde hair and her killer curves—she was beautiful and sexy.
“I don’t see why you can’t tell them you’re interested in someone.”
“I did. I left her name out of it, though. It didn’t help. In fact, I think that’s when the pool got going.”
“Damn, Connor. It sounds like you’re—”
“Screwed?” he finished for her.
“Well, yeah. The only thing you can do is to keep saying no. Eventually they’ll get tired of being turned down. Sorry I can’t think of a better answer.” Cici got up. “Anyone need another beer?”
They both said no and Cici left the room.
“You really like this woman, don’t you?” Logan asked, serious for once.
“I really do.” In fact, he was afraid he was falling in love with her. Which was ridiculous. They hardly knew each other. And he didn’t believe in love at first sight.
He thought about the day she’d fallen while they ran. How close he’d come to kissing her after he cleaned her up. Then he remembered when he’d first seen her in Vegas. How gorgeous she’d been. He’d been completely poleaxed before she’d ever sat down and started talking to him.
Maybe he did believe in it.
*
“I had aninteresting conversation with one of the nurses at the hospital,” Sierra said to Connor one day while they waited for a call.
“About what?”
“You.”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”
