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My jaw clenches as I swipe out of my messages, refusing to spend another second thinking about him. Instead, I try to look up Cullen. I type in things like “Cullen Real Estate Broker” followed by “Miami” and “Nashville,” but—shocker—it’s pointless.

A bead of sadness lodges itself in the middle of my chest. It mourns the lost potential of what could’ve been between us. Iam getting ahead of myself again, but it really did feel like we had a connection last night. It’s not every day you meet a guy who so easily chats with you about the meaning of love and relationships on a first date without hightailing it for the nearest exit. We seemed to have a lot in common, too. Take all of that and add to it how hot he is, it almost seems too good to be true.

And I’d run away from him in a tequila-addled fit of panic.

If only I’d gotten something more from him, a last name or the company he works for.

Maybe if I go back to The Brass Stop? Sure, it is far as hell from the apartment, but my work is a bit closer. I could go a couple of times, see if he shows up at the bar again.

Is that stalkery?

God, I always do this—always become delusionally invested in a man after he shows a sliver of kindness. Why does my heart have to be so open?

“Okay, your turn.”

Hannah leaves a trail of wet footprints as she skirts around me and goes straight for the coffee pot. She hasn’t even bothered to put clothes on and is just in her fluffy towel, which isn’t a surprise.

I enter the steamy bathroom and crank on the water, taking my time standing under the spray to wash off the night and all my makeup.

My thoughts continue to wander, floating back to Cullen. I close my eyes, replaying that moment when he stood chest to chest with me, lips inches apart, and it sends my stomach flipping.

I’d been so tempted by his offer. Tempted to kiss him.

I raise my hands to my lips, ghosting over them as water continues to sluice down my body. My hands follow the water’s path, down my neck and over my chest. I pause when I get to mybreast, cupping it and imagining Cullen’s hand has replaced my own, squeezing and kneading it with his strong fingers.

“Vee.”

My eyes pop open, the spell broken as my roommate screeches my name.

“Vee!”

“What?”

“VEE!”

“Oh my fucking—” I huff, shutting off the water and snatching my towel from where it hangs behind the door.

I quickly wrap it around my body before trudging out of the bathroom, puddles of water staining the floorboards in my wake.

“Hannah, there better be a rat or something, or I…”

My words die off as I find her standing at the entrance to our apartment, the door wide open, with a strange man who is holding a large bouquet of roses in a sparkling vase and what looks to be a take-out delivery bag.

“What’s this?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “I dunno. It’s for you.”

“What do you mean?”

Hannah gestures a hand at the man. “Tell her.”

The guy tears his gaze away from ogling Hannah’s body and switches his attention to me—which isn’t any better and maybe even more lecherous. My discomfort level is quickly rising.

“I have a delivery for Verity.” He holds out the bouquet and delivery bag.

“Okay.” I slowly pad across the room to him. “Who’s this from?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. I just make the deliveries.”