Page 4 of Unexpected

“You want to kiss?” she teased. “Give him a little show? Some guys are really into that.”

I backed away. “Yeah. That’s not the type of guy I’m trying to attract.” I took a sip of my drink. “Actually, what am I saying? I’m not trying to attract men. I’m trying to repel them.” I pressed against an imaginary force field. “Stay away, men of the earth.”

Lauren grabbed my arms and pulled them down. “That’s crazy talk. You’ve been divorced for a year, and your relationship with Cal was over long before then. It’s time.”

I glared at her. “My life is good. Full. I don’t need a man.”

“I didn’t say you needed a man. You need sex.”

I scoffed. “I don’t have time for that.”

“Honey,” she said, holding up a finger. “Everyone has time for sex. And you, my dear, desperately need to get laid.”

Did I miss the companionship? Yes. But I barely had time to sleep. I was running a highly successful brokerage firm, as well as taking on a new property development. Between that and Sophia, I had enough on my plate without adding a man.

Besides, being a mom added a whole other set of challenges to dating. Men my age were either in a relationship or looking for someone younger. Someone without children. And the idea of introducing Sophia to a man I was seeing…the idea of that was enough to have me downing the rest of my drink and asking for another.

Lauren’s expression softened, and she leaned forward. “Is this about Cal? Are you still hung up on him?”

“What?” I jerked my head back. “No. Absolutely not. I mean, the sex was good, but… I don’t…” I closed my eyes briefly before reopening them. “No.” This had nothing to do with my ex.

“Then, what?” she asked. “Because you certainly don’t lack for interested partners. Nearly every man—and even a few women—stopped to watch you when you walked in.”

I blew out a harsh breath. “I’m just…overloaded. Exhausted. I have my job and Sophia.”

“You know what’s great for helping people relax?” She grinned, but I rolled my eyes, already anticipating her answer. “Sex.”

“Keep your voice down,” I hissed, feeling the stares of nearby patrons.

“Sex. Sex. Sex,” she chanted, mocking me.

“All right,” I said, moving her drink away. “You’re cut off.”

“And you, my friend—” she pointed her finger at me “—are no fun.”

“Hey.” I pouted. “We’re having fun now, aren’t we?”

“We are. And you know I love you, but you need to relax. You need to let loose every now and then.”

Easy for her to say. She didn’t have a mortgage, private school tuition, college to plan for. And she didn’t have a daughter to consider. I didn’t have the luxury of dating, and I wasn’t interested in casual sex.

“No.I need to stay focused.”

“I admire your drive, Alexis. I do. But sometimes you have to slow down and appreciate the scenery.” She waggled her eyebrows.

I laughed. “Oh my god, that was so cheesy.”

She smirked, throwing back the rest of her drink. “Cheesy or not, it made you smile. Now—let’s go shake our booties. I see a hot man I’m ready to grind up on.”

I let her pull me out onto the dance floor. “We’re getting too old for this,” I said over the music.

“You’re never too old to have fun!” She shouted over the thump of the bass.

She was right, but sometimes I felt older than my thirty-five years. I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, and as much as I wanted to let go sometimes—I couldn’t.

Chapter Two

“Come on,” Hunter said. “You’re not really going to pass up a week of endless pussy, are you?”