Page 25 of Decidedly Off Limits

Yeah, yeah. I remembered the part about not being “easy” in that long list of advice Holly and Erin had given me. And yes, the “old-fashioned” way was to go out with the guy a few times and then have sex. But had the creator of that dumb rule ever tried to survive for over a year sex-free?

No, I didn’t think so either.

And it wasn’t like I was going tobeeasy. I was going to be everything they’d said. But if he asked…well, then I was prepared to have some fun. Wasn’t that what being sexually confident was all about?

I slipped on the thong and matching black satin bra, then repeated several times to my reflection, “I’ve got it going on! No man can resist me.”

It didn’t matter how many times I said it and it didn’t matter if I was wearing sexy underwear, the words didn’t sink in. It didn’t help that Owen had never treated me like I was sexy. And it also didn’t help that his interest in doing the deed had gone south for the winter (and never returned) during the last nine months of our relationship. Maybe that had been partly my fault. If I’d been more confident like the magazines suggested, I would have found out what excited him and our sex life would’ve been better, richer.

Existent.

I quickly finished getting ready for the date, slipping on my skinny low-rise jeans and the sexy sleeveless top Erin and Holly had insisted I buy when we were shopping. I left the top buttons undone so my cleavage showed. The white fabric clung to my body, and revealed a thin strip of skin between the hem of my top and the waistband of my jeans. My black bra was visible through the fabric, but they had insisted that only made me look sexier.

I headed downstairs. As I reached the bottom step, my cell phone pinged. Thinking it was Jeff telling me he would be late—or worse yet, canceling—I checked the message.

It wasn’t from Jeff. It was from Trent.What are you up to?

Going out

With Erin?

No, I have a date

Anyone I know?

Doubt it.And even if he did know the guy, I wouldn’t tell him. Not after what happened during my date with the Viking.

So where are you going?

Out

Out where?

Out out.Yeah, I was being a bitch. Could you blame me?

Be careful, okay?

I knew he was only saying that because of Liam and Erin, but a warmth flickered inside me at his concern.

Thanks. I will.

The doorbell rang, ending any further conversation.

At the sight of Jeff wearing black jeans, a black leather jacket, and a black T-shirt, my jaw dropped open, killing the sexy look I should’ve been aiming for—unless my goal was to go for the let-me-give-you-a-blow-job-now look.

I snapped my mouth shut.

“Hey, Kelsey.” His gaze skimmed down my body. His lips curved up and his handsome face became breathtaking. “You look great.”

I smiled, and every sexually confident cell in my body high-fived. “You look great too.”

“You ready?”

Slipping on my stilettos, I nodded, then stepped out of the house and locked the door behind me.

I followed him, my heels clicking against the stone path.

And then I froze.