Page 17 of Decidedly Off Limits

“I’m sorry. But…but you’re not my type. I’m a lesbian,” I blurted. Something told me that excuse wouldnotbe in theDummiesbook.

His confident smile transformed into a confused frown. Confused why his gaydar had malfunctioned, no doubt.

“Well, I’ll see you around.” Grinning on the inside, I picked up what was left of my coffee and high-tailed it out of there.

8

Kelsey

IwatchedChloe attempt to balance on the wobble board while doing my best not to check my cell phone for the tenth time in an hour.

And no, I wasn’t waiting for the Viking to call me.

Not really.

Okay, maybe I was just a little.

I was also waiting for Erin to return my call. I needed to go out and have some fun…and more importantly, forget about my failure of a date.

The one with the Viking. Not the pseudo date with Craig, the ice-cream-hating guy from this morning.

Yes, I was still annoyed at how the evening with Stephen had ended. Not that I had been too thrilled with the rest of it either once Trent had shown up. What the hell had my brother said to him prior to shipping off? It had to be because of my brother, otherwise why else would Trent have shown up at the same restaurant out of the blue?

And when would Liam finally realize I was an adult who was capable of taking care of herself? I didn’t need him sending the interrogation squad while he was away. Heck, I didn’t need him interrogating my dates in person, either.

I fiddled with the owl necklace he’d given me for my twenty-fourth birthday, as if by touching it I could tell if he was still okay. He had given me his special code word last night, warning me that he would be away on a secret mission for who knew how long—which meant no calls from his beyond-irritated sister, demanding that he get Trent to back off.

My phone played Erin’s pre-programmed tune. “Hello,” I said, answering.

“As if you even have to ask,” Erin replied in response to my earlier text, asking if she wanted to go shopping. “When do you want to meet me there?”

“Say, in about thirty minutes? I’m almost finished here.” I tossed the beanbag at Chloe and gave her a thumbs up when she caught it.

“Good. I’m starving and have a major craving for french fries. I’ll meet you in the food court. And be prepared to give me details about your date.”

I inwardly groaned, suspecting she would grill me on how it went. But maybe then I wouldn’t have to kill her brother.

She’d do it for me.

“Oooh. Is that your boyfriend?” Chloe asked after I ended the call, and made kissy noises.

“Didn’t I tell you that I don’t have one?”

“And that’s why you need my help.”

I could feel my eyebrows jump up my forehead. “Your help?”

“Yes, my help. You’re pretty and you need a boyfriend.”

I choked back a laugh. It was like talking to a six-year-old version of Erin, but with curly red hair instead of it being straight and brown. “And how exactly are you gonna help me?” I tossed another beanbag at her. She caught it. Just.

“I was watching the Disney Princess movies, and now I’m a pro when it comes to getting a boyfriend.”

“Oh, you are, are you?”

She responded with an I-mean-business nod and threw the beanbag back at me. “It’s simple. You just have to kiss your true love.”

Immediately my thoughts went to Trent.