Just a Little Flirt

by Renita Pizzitola

  When my shift ended, I went into the break room to double-check the schedule, hoping something had changed and I’d have a good excuse to cancel my lunch date.

  No such luck.

  “Hey.” Amy walked in and smiled. “Someone’s looking for you out there.”

  Cade stuck around and waited for me? I tried to suppress the happiness bubbling up inside me. After today, hopefully I could control myself around him.

  I smoothed back my ponytail and stepped out of the break room.

  Thatcher. My expression sank right along with my excitement.

  “There she is.” His smile was blinding, like he was auditioning for a toothpaste commercial and planned to land the role.

  I looked around. “Um, hi.” Why in the world would he be looking for me?

  “I noticed you weren’t in the playroom. Did you just get off?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m actually about to leave myself but I don’t really know this area very well. Thought maybe you could recommend a restaurant I could take you to.”

  Smooth.

  “Well, there’s a strip of restaurants across the street. Good selection. Mostly chains, but a few local places mixed in. Unfortunately, I have to get home but let me know which you end up trying out.”

  He leaned against the wall and flashed his stupid grin. “C’mon, you aren’t really going to make me eat alone, are you?”

  “I’m sure someone else would love to join you. I just have to get home. My roommate and I have plans.”

  “She’d understand if you were a little late.”

  Relentless with a capital R. “We’re going to a movie. Already bought tickets. Thanks though.”

  I walked past him and he grabbed my arm.

  “How about tomorrow then?” he asked.

  I stared down at the fingers pressing into my skin, then into his eyes. “I’m busy.”

  He glanced at his hand and suddenly released me, then looked around. He straightened his shoulders and smoothed his coat. “Of course. I’m sorry.” He spun away and hurried down the corridor.

  Weird. And, as suspected, a huge freaking asshole.

  Chapter 7

  Cade sat at the table with two cups and a brown bag. He hadn’t noticed me yet.

  I’d tried to think of excuses to cancel, but finally just lied and said I was running late. It drastically reduced the amount of alone time I’d have to spend with him. But it still got me my Cade fix.

  Scout noticed me first and wagged his tail as I approached.

  Cade looked down then glanced over his shoulder. “Hey.”

  He placed the bag in front of me as I sat down.

  “Figured you’d at least have time for these.”

  The delicious aroma of cookies wafted from the bag. “I’m going to need double the workout Thursday night.”

  “I’m sure we can arrange that.”

  My eyes snapped up. Wait. Was he doing the flirting thing again? Just looking at him already had me wound taut. I couldn’t handle much more.

  “My team kicked your team’s ass and we were having an off week. Imagine what we’ll be like at full steam.”

  Okay, so he was referring to that other thing involving minimal clothing, grunting and sweating. The thing we could safely have in common. Volleyball. Of course. Not sex.

  But I couldn’t even pretend I wasn’t disappointed. Teasing was so much more fun when sex was at the root of it.

  I picked up the peanut butter cookie and broke it down the middle. “I thought we’d planned on rotating teams. It seems a disadvantage to make the losers play the winners again.” I handed him his half.

  “I guess that’s true. So who would you like on your team?” He grinned as he bit into his share of cookie.

  I named the people who’d stuck out in my mind as the better players, then added, “And you.”

  “Is this your winning team?” He halved the sugar cookie then handed me a piece.

  “I just need a team to carry my weight. Seemed like good choices.” With a shrug, I nibbled on the sugar cookie.

  He chuckled; it was low and sexy. “I’ll see what I can do to put your dream team together then.”

  Dream. That little reminder sent warmth spreading across my chest. It crept up my neck, making its way to my cheeks.

  “You okay?”

  “The coffee is hot.” I’d blurted the first thing to come to mind. And it was so incredibly stupid. I hadn’t even touched my coffee.

  Cade’s gaze drifted to my cup then came back to me.

  I changed the subject. “Saved the best for last.” I handed him part of the chocolate chip cookie.

  “So I have another favor to ask.”

  I leaned back and raised an eyebrow. “More children’s parties?”

  “No.” He smiled. “But it’s related. See, I need to pick out a gift for my nieces, but I definitely need a girl’s opinion. My sister told me no toys. She said they need clothes. But come on, guys can barely dress themselves. How am I supposed to know what to buy little girls?”

  “That does seem like quite the dilemma.”

  “So you’ll help me then?”

  Why couldn’t I just say no to this guy? “When were you planning on shopping?”

  “When are you free?”

  “Hmm, Friday?” I pulled my hair loose and twisted it back up, clasping it in a messy bun. My plan had been to look like I hadn’t put much thought into my appearance, but now my fine blond hair was determined to slip out, catapulting me from cute-messy to I-don’t-own-a-brush.

  Cade’s gaze followed the movement of my hair. “Perfect.” He sipped his soda. “What time Friday?”

  “I’ll be done with my lab by two, so any time after that.”

  “I’ll pick you up at two-thirty.”

  If he drove, I had no way to bail if necessary. “How about I just meet you somewhere? Since I’ll be heading home from class anyway, it would be convenient.”

  “Okay, meet me at my apartment.”

  A lump formed in my throat.

  “I don’t live far from campus. University Village Apartments.”

  Anything that started with the word “university” meant we were basically neighbors, but this was actual neighbors. He lived in the sister property to mine. We shared pools and everything. “I live in University Park.”

  “We’re neighbors,” he said, echoing my thoughts.

  “It seems so.”

  He looked almost shocked by this knowledge. “Which building are you in?”

  “Seven.”

  “Which backs up to—”

  “Village,” I finished.

  “I’m in two. We’re probably literally a street apart.” He rubbed his chin. “How long have you been there? I’m sure I’ve never seen you around.”

  They were both large complexes but a pool sat between building one and eight, meaning he and I would share the same pool if we chose the closest to our apartments.

  “A few weeks.”

  He nodded, like that cleared it all up. “You know, on Sundays a group of us meet at the pool. We all bring something to eat or drink and hang out. It’s pretty informal, but we’ve been doing it so long now it’s a summertime tradition.”

  I was actually aware of this tradition, since one of the leasing agents who also lived in my building had mentioned it. But I hadn’t had a chance to personally check it out. I wished I would have, but knew I couldn’t now. If I’d met Cade there first, I wouldn’t have any hesitations about him. He wouldn’t have been a coworker. But then again, he’d still be a nice guy. And clearly, nice guys were a bad choice for me. At least, in the bedroom.

  “You should go this Sunday.”

  That would mean I was committing to time with Cade from Thursday through Sunday. No way could I hang out with him that much.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “So Friday, meet me at my place? I’ll text you my apartment number.”

  With him living so close, the who
le not-having-my-own-car thing was pointless. But it was still better to meet him at his place. My luck, Mason would be at mine and mark it as a victory.

  “Sure. Well, I need to get going.” I gathered my trash and stood.

  “We’re actually heading out.”

  “I had no idea you were leaving for the day. I feel horrible for being so late. You should have just left.”

  “I didn’t mind waiting. Plus, I needed to sweeten you up for some shopping.”

  “Whether it’s for little girls or big girls, you never need to sugar me up for shopping.”

  He laughed. “Good to know.”

  Scout, who sat between us as we spoke, let out a big squeaky dog yawn then nudged my hand. I ran my fingers along the top of his head and scratched behind his ears.

  “I think the kids wore him out today. He’s probably ready to get home and rest. I won’t be in tomorrow, but I’ll see you Thursday.”

  “Thanks for the cookies.”

  “Anytime.” He smiled, then headed out with Scout trailing alongside him.

  When I got to the playroom, I found Tyler instead of Lindsey.

  “Hey,” I said. “Where’s Lindsey?”

  “Oh, we switched. She had a scheduling conflict.”

  Considering Tyler seemed like a huge slacker from the outside, he was actually overly helpful. Like, give-me-room-to-breathe helpful. It probably had to do with the part-time position opening up, but it was too much for me. I tried to stick to one side of the room, far away from him, but he always made his way over.

  “Here, let me help.”

  A body pressed against my back as I stood on tiptoe to reach the top shelf in the supply closet. A quick glance confirmed it was Tyler.

  “I’ve already got it.” I pulled down a package of construction paper and turned around.

  “I actually think we need some drawing paper too.” He reached up, his chest brushing mine as he did.

  I took a step back and bumped into the shelves. “I could move, you know.”

  “It’s okay.” He waved the stack, then stared down at me, crowding our tiny shared space, and tainting my oxygen with too much cologne. “Anything else you need?”

  Uh, you out of my personal space? “Nope.” I popped the p, and slipped past him.

  I reached for the stack of paper he held and smiled. “Oh, now that I think about it, we need to replenish the markers. How about you get those while I restock the paper?”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  Freaking go-getter. A real team player, that one. No matter how much I wanted the paid position, I wouldn’t resort to such ridiculous tactics.

  In record time, I’d organized the paper, hoping to escape before Tyler returned with the markers. I almost made it too. But when I sensed someone watching me, I turned to find him staring. Probably hoping I’d need help so he could come to my rescue, fix the problem and be hailed the hero. I mumbled something about a bathroom break and hurried past him.

  When I came back from the bathroom, Tyler had left to deliver some patient toys, and I finally got a moment to myself.

  Amy wandered over to help me shelve some toys. “How’s it going?”

  “It’s going great. Today went fast. I feel like I just got here, and it’s almost time to go.”

  “Good and busy.” She sorted a bin that had blocks mixed in with stringing beads. “So are you going to make it tomorrow night?”

  “Yeah, I plan on it.”

  “Good. It was fun. And I think a certain guy will be really happy to hear that.” She grinned.

  “Who would that be?” My pulse sped and I bit my lip to avoid smiling.

  She glanced over her shoulder. “Tyler, of course.”

  “Oh.” Well, that sucked. “I don’t think he’s interested in me as more than friends.”

  “Please, it’s like he’s stuck in your gravitational pull.” She nudged me with her shoulder.

  That was one way to describe it. “I think he’s trying to be really helpful to impress you, Amy. He’s trying to land the paid position just like everyone else.”

  “Um, he’s not that helpful with anyone else. And, come on, the guy shifted his schedule to work with you.”

  I stared at her. “Lindsey needed to switch.”

  “That’s not the way I heard it.”

  “Either way, I’m not interested in him like that.”

  “Aw, he’s a nice guy.” She smiled. “Just overeager.” She laughed. “Okay, how about that resident?”

  How did everyone know my personal life, yet Cade wasn’t thrown into the mix? Maybe, when it came to him, it was just wishful thinking on my part.

  I shook my head. “Not interested in him either.”

  “Oh, I didn’t even think to ask. You probably already have a boyfriend.”

  “Nope. And I’m not looking for one either.” I realigned the books on the shelf. “Just enjoying the single life for now.” I forced a smile.

  She tilted her head and studied me, then smiled back. “Good for you. And I should have kept my mouth shut. It’s just, when I see boys falling all over themselves for a girl, I immediately want to play matchmaker. I forget not everyone is looking for a relationship. Single by choice was never my thing, but I shouldn’t be surprised. A girl like you doesn’t need to settle.”

  I’d never call what I did with guys settling, per se. I was choosy, but my qualifications weren’t exactly the same things that topped most girls’ lists.

  We finished organizing the shelf just as Tyler returned.

  “I’m starving.” He rubbed his stomach. “Want to grab a bite before you leave?”

  Amy glanced at Tyler then me. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.” She pressed her lips together and walked away.

  Sure, when it came to work-related stuff, he was always in my personal space, but this request was so casual, I wasn’t convinced her theory was correct.

  I stood and adjusted my scrub pants, which had a habit of working their way down and becoming a tripping hazard. “I have a test to study for, so I’ll have to pass. But thanks.” Which was sort of true. I did need to study. Not sure I would actually be successful, but I’d put in an effort as part of my self-improvement plan.

  “That’s cool. I’ll just grab something on the way out.” He held the door to the playroom for me. “You going to Spike’s Thursday?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there.” I stepped into the break room and slid my badge under the gray box to clock out.

  “I’ll see you there then.” He nodded at me then opened his locker.

  “See ya.” I waved, noting how very uninterested he was now that we were off the clock. Amy had it all wrong. Which was a relief.

  —

  Wednesday, Tyler worked with me again, but Thursday Claudia was scheduled with me. Compared to Ice Queen, Tyler’s over-helpful nature became very appealing.

  Claudia seemed to go out of her way to not help me, yet I felt like she watched me. Waiting for me to screw up or something. When we’d make eye contact, she’d offer me a trite smile. But no matter how much she annoyed me, I put on a happy face, determined to prove I worked well with others. No matter how badly I wanted to smack that stupid fake expression right off her face.

  “Hey.”

  I spun around, busted while fantasizing about Claudia tripping over a toy.

  Cade chuckled. “Did I startle you?”

  “I’d spaced out. You caught me by surprise.” I glanced at the clock on the wall. My shift ended in five minutes.

  “Well, I wanted to say hi before you left. I’m actually scheduled to come in at three.”

  So he knew my shift ended soon. Did that mean he came in early to see me?

  “Scout was bored at home.” He shrugged. Then lifted his gaze to meet mine. “Want a ride to Spike’s tonight? You know, since we’re neighbors and all, we could carpool.”

  There was really no good reason to say no. Okay, no reason that would make sense to him. There were a ton of reasons why I a
ctually should. “Sure.”

  “I’ll pick you up at six then. Building seven?”

  I nodded. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”

  His mouth hitched into an easy smile and he looked about ready to say something when Claudia walked up. She dropped to her knees—clearly well-practiced—and petted Scout’s scruff.

  She spoke first to Scout then glanced up. “Hey, Cade.” Her dark eyes went all seductive as she gazed through her lashes.

  I knew that look. Hell, I used that look. My fingers curled into fists, nails digging into palms.

  “How’s it going?” He smiled down at her.

  I tried not to roll my eyes as she poured her attention into Scout. Clearly she believed the dog was the ticket into Cade’s heart…or pants. Whatever.

  “It’s been a good day.” With one last nuzzle into Scout, she popped up. “Are we playing on the same team again tonight?” And I’ll be damned if she didn’t flip her hair.

  Cade glanced at me, his gaze dropping to my hands.

  I forced my shoulders to relax, released my clenched fists and ignored the hatred pumping through my veins.

  His eyebrow raised slightly then his eyes met mine. And he looked like he wanted to laugh. What the hell? Was I amusing to him?

  “I think we’re going to switch the teams up a bit.” He turned back to Claudia. “But I guess we’ll figure it out when we get there.”

  “Sounds good.” And the fake smile was back. She walked, no, sauntered off.

  “Come on. Let’s go clock you out.”

  “Huh?” I turned back to Cade.

  “Your shift is over.” He pointed to the clock. “I’ll walk with you to the break room.”

  We walked into the break room and I slid my ID under the time clock, opened my locker and pulled out my phone. When I turned around, Cade was staring at me. Like intense staring.

  I tucked my hair behind my ear. “I guess I’ll see you tonight.”

  He nodded slowly.

  “Okay, um, ʼbye.”

  “Actually, I’m going to get a drink from the food court. I’ll go down with you.”

  I glanced at the vending machine. “Okay.”

  “C’mon.”

  Scout and I both followed him to the elevator. It dinged and the door slid open. A girl in green scrubs smiled at Cade as she exited.