[Dating by Design 02.0] Statistically Improbable

by Jennifer Peel

  “You said that last week about the brisket.”

  “Does your dad make pizza too?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  He handed me a slice of the pizza topped with mounds of meat and vegetables. “See for yourself.”

  I took the warm gooey piece and before I even took a bite, I knew I would love it. It smelled amazing. It was even better, though, once my taste buds got a hold of it. I chewed and savored every second of it.

  “I told you.”

  I nodded and swallowed. “You were right this time. Thank you. I needed the break.”

  He picked up the bag of chips. “And maybe some better study food.”

  “That too. I don’t know why I’m not getting this. I’ve never had such a hard time with a subject.”

  Zander grabbed his own slice of heaven. “Don’t worry, you’ll be a statistical analysis pro when I’m done with you.”

  “How are you so confident about everything?”

  “Easy, darlin’, I don’t care what people think about me.”

  “You’re lucky.”

  “There’s probably some drawbacks to it.”

  His honesty and thoughtfulness surprised me. “I suppose, but how could you be the king of arrogance without that attitude?”

  He laughed before taking a bite of his pizza.

  We devoured half the large pizza before tackling statistics.

  “You need to forget the book.” Zander grabbed my notepad and pencil. “What you need to do is make a connection between the technique and the formula and how it’s applied in the real world.” He started mapping out a table on the paper.

  I watched his mind at work with awe.

  He explained each statistic, its formula, and the application. He answered every question I had and then a wonderful thing happened. Things began to click and the formulas became more than symbols and numbers. The knot in my chest began to loosen. “I think you might have chosen the wrong career path.”

  He set the pencil down. “Nah. I like money too much.”

  I took the pad of paper from him and looked over the chart that actually made sense to me. “If it didn’t go against my principles, I would kiss you right now. Thank you.”

  “I think a kiss is a fair trade.”

  I faced him and was I ever tempted.

  He leaned in close enough to where I could smell the peppers mixed in with mint on his breath. It wasn’t bad. Except that I wanted a taste.

  I pushed against his muscular chest. “Not happening.”

  He leaned in some more. “Are you sure?”

  “What would happen if I did?”

  “Besides the best kiss you’ve ever had, what do you mean?”

  “Would it mean anything to you other than the fact you got me to give in?”

  He sat back against my couch with his hands behind his head. “Are we back to that meaningful crap again?”

  I curled my feet under me and leaned against the armrest. “No. Let’s change the subject. What have you been up to all week?”

  He turned his head and paused to examine me. “Not so fast. Why do you feel so strongly about this? Don’t tell me that you’ve been in love with every person you’ve slept with.”

  I felt my eyebrows hit my hairline. “That escalated. I thought we were talking about kissing.”

  “We’re going back to Monday night. I think you unfairly judged me. You women have double standards. You expect men to be Prince Charming, but you’re just like us. You have as many one-night stands as us. I mean, who do you think we’re having them with? And we aren’t the only ones who initiate it.”

  “You feel really passionate about this.” I grinned.

  “You know I’m right.”

  “If you say so.”

  He sat up agitated. “I know so.”

  “Okay. Do you want some ice cream or something? I think I have some rocky road.” I stood up.

  He caught my hand and I liked how it felt way too much. I think I needed that ice cream to cool off.

  “Am I wrong about you?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you yes?”

  He dropped my hand. “I don’t know.”

  Chapter Ten

  I sat outside on my small balcony, wrapped up in a blanket. I always thought better outdoors. Even if it was well past midnight. Zander had barely left. We didn’t talk any more about love and sex, but I felt like he studied me all night as we watched The Matrix—his pick. That movie made my head hurt. And Zander was confusing me.

  I couldn’t believe he came over to help me in the first place. Him staying was even more surprising. I got the feeling a night at home watching a movie wasn’t his typical weekend night, especially with a woman who made sure to keep some distance between him and her on the couch. Not to say I didn’t think about closing the gap a few too many times.

  I leaned my head against the railing and took in a deep breath of cool air. I missed my Wyoming nights and clear skies. The stars shined brighter out west. What was I doing? And why did I seem to get under Zander’s skin?

  I wasn’t foolish enough to think that I was the woman who would tame the bad boy. That for me, he would change. That’s every girl’s fantasy, but it has no business in the real world. Relationships like Warren Beatty’s and Annette Bening’s were unrealistic and against the odds. And why was I even thinking like this?

  I needed sleep. I had to take a test tomorrow morning. A test that I now felt confident in taking, all thanks to the man camping out in my thoughts.

  I closed my eyes and tried not to think. I failed miserably.

  I woke up in my bed, but felt like I had hardly rested. I got ready anyway. My test was looming over me. I looked over Zander’s notes and chart one more time before logging in. I had to remind myself not to focus on the man who chose to spend his Friday night helping me. I knew he had other options.

  I shook my head to clear him out. I had a test to focus on. I took a deep breath and began. I worked my way through each question. I found I was able to correlate and even find linearity. With each completed question, my fondness for Zander grew. It wasn’t a good thing. But when I finished, I knew I needed to thank him in a big way—well, not too big. I was thinking homemade cookies. No kisses, unless they were the Hershey’s kind. That was a thought.

  I breathed a huge sigh of relief when my test was over. I would say I at least scored a B, hopefully better. I headed straight for the kitchen to make salted chocolate cookies. They reminded me of Zander. Salty, but he had a sweet side. I tried not to eat too much dough, but it was addicting. Kind of like Zander. What was I going to do? Staying away from him was the obvious solution. But I found it was the last thing I wanted to do.

  That’s how I found myself driving over to Zander’s luxury apartment building with a plate of wrapped cookies and a bag of Hershey’s Kisses in my passenger seat. I kept telling myself it was only to say thank you. And there was a running trail near his place I wanted to try out. All believable lies. I pulled into the guest parking lot outside his building. I decided I should text before I headed up. I knew he didn’t like visitors, which was strange, and maybe slightly worrisome.

  Are you home?

  Miss me?

  No. That was a lie. I made you some thank you cookies and I have some kisses for you. Can I come up? I thought maybe if he thought I was kissing him, he would let me in his apartment.

  You’re here?

  I’m in your parking lot. How come the kissing didn’t even faze him?

  Prime those lips. I’ll meet you in the lobby.

  He was going to be disappointed. I grinned evilly to myself. I grabbed the cookies and candy and headed for the stylish building. The lobby had a sitting area filled with art deco furniture. It matched the modern feel of the building and gleaming black floors. I thought about what my brothers would think if they thought I was dating a guy who lived in such a citified place. They would tease me and torture him relentlessly. I guess it was a good thing Zander
and I weren’t really dating.

  The seating area had a good view of the elevators, and no sooner had I sat down than the doors opened. I was hoping to see Zander, but instead Leann reared her gorgeous head.

  Her long blonde hair fell down in beautiful waterfall curls. She had a presence of poise and command. And she looked like a million bucks in her tailored black suit with killer heels to match. She belonged in a building like this. I looked down at my t-shirt and running shorts. One of the perks of living in the South during November.

  Leann honed in on me and headed my way.

  I sat up straighter and smiled.

  Leann looked around. “Where’s your boyfriend?”

  “He’s on his way down.”

  Her jewel-toned eyes narrowed while a skeptical grin filled her face. “I find it odd that a girlfriend wouldn’t meet him in his apartment.”

  I found that odd too, but I wasn’t going to mention it, especially since Zander was coming off the elevator. His smile was all but gone when he noticed the blonde bombshell.

  Leann, on the other hand, found delight in it. “I was just telling your girlfriend, here, how strange it is that she didn’t come up to meet you. Makes me wonder how solid you two are.” She perused him like a piece of meat.

  I wasn’t going to have that. “How sweet of you to worry.” I stood up, leaving Zander’s treats on the table in front of me. I headed for my pretend boyfriend, who was looking uncharacteristically worried, and joined his side.

  He wrapped his arm around my waist and I loved every second of it.

  I ran my finger down his cheek and smiled. “You see, there’s a perfectly good explanation. We’re one of those old-fashioned couples. We’re saving ourselves for, you know, the big day. And every time I’m alone with him, it’s such a huge temptation, so we’ve just decided it’s better to stay out in the open. But even then,” I pulled myself closer to him, “it’s so hard to keep my hands off him. I mean, can you blame me?”

  Zander’s jaw dropped and I tipped his chin up for him, while trying not to laugh at his reaction or hers.

  She stood there stunned at least for a moment. “I find it hard to believe—”

  “I know, right? I couldn’t believe it either when Zander told me that he was saving himself for that special someone.”

  Zander cleared his throat. “Darlin’, let’s not air all our secrets.”

  “Sorry, honey.” I placed my hand on his chest. “I just love you so much and I want the whole world to know.”

  He cracked a small smile before we both turned to face a confused Leann. Her face was bunched up and she kept shaking it. “I got the impression . . . I mean, I heard from . . .”

  “Yeah.” I smirked. “You really shouldn’t believe everything you hear.” I meant every word of it.

  “Well, mazel tov.” She left in a huff.

  I waved goodbye to her. “Thank you. We’ll be sure to send you an invitation.” I was about ready to laugh until I met Zander’s eyes, which didn’t look happy at all. And he sure let go of me as fast as he could.

  “What the hell, Meg? I don’t know whether to thank you or be angry at you.”

  I smoothed out my shirt and stepped back. “You’re welcome. She’ll never bother you again.”

  “And neither will any other woman in this building.”

  I waved off his concern and headed to get the cookies and candy. “If your theory is right, it won’t matter. They’ll come on to you whether they think you’re taken or not.”

  “Not now that they think I’m some thirty-one-year-old virgin.”

  “Then who wants to be with them anyway, if they look down on that?”

  “I do.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Tell them I’m crazy and you broke up with me.” I picked up the treats and shoved them toward him. “Thanks for helping me last night. I’ll see you at work.”

  He stared down at them before reluctantly reaching for them.

  “I didn’t poison them.”

  He took them, but still acted as if he was unsure. “I’ve never had a woman make me cookies before.”

  I shrugged. “See you later.” I turned and walked toward the exit.

  Zander caught up to me holding up the bag of candy. “Hey, this is false advertisement.”

  “The bag is clearly marked kisses.”

  “How did your test go?”

  I paused before opening the door. “I think it went really well.” I spoke into the door before pushing it open. He didn’t say another word before I made it outside. I took a deep breath, taking in the cool but comfortable fall air. I felt like an idiot for coming over here. In my head, I said I was only doing it to say thank you. But I could have given him the cookies at work on Monday. I knew it was because I wanted to see him, even though I knew the kind of man he was. And now I’d ticked him off. It was probably a good thing.

  “Meg.”

  I stopped, surprised to hear him call my name. I turned to see him strutting toward me. He looked fantastic in his t-shirt and faded blue jeans. They made him look lean and masculine.

  He looked me over from head to toe. He lingered on my bare legs. “Where are you going dressed like that?”

  “The opera.”

  He smirked as he neared. “Thanks for the cookies, but I want to exchange the kisses.” He was close enough now that my senses were enveloped by him.

  I held my breath. “I have a no return policy.”

  He leaned in with barely enough room for the plate of cookies between us. “That’s too bad.”

  It was. I mean, it was a good thing. I had to step away from him. It was like his cologne turned off my brain. “I’m going to go for run,” I stuttered. If I didn’t leave, I was bound to do something stupid.

  “Do you want company?”

  “Um . . .” Yes.

  He answered my unspoken thought. “Give me a minute to change.”

  “I was going to drive to a nearby trail, so—”

  “I have a better route we can walk to.” He turned and left, leaving me to stand there speechless.

  I should leave. Really, I should. Leave, I kept telling myself. I didn’t. Instead, I stretched out my hamstrings, maybe did some pacing; some definite deep breaths happened. We’re friends, I kept telling myself. And he only wanted me to kiss him so he could say he won. It wasn’t happening. Now I wouldn’t even let him kiss me. I knew if I did, I would be hooked.

  He was down in no time. He had swapped his jeans for athletic pants and his flip-flops for running shoes. But the grin that drew me in was still there, and his presence. “I ate one of the cookies. Not bad.”

  “Was that a compliment?”

  “You can take that however you’d like.”

  “That’s the last time I make you anything.”

  “Why don’t I think that’s true?”

  “Where’s this trail?” I walked away from him. Such arrogance.

  He laughed and followed after me. “It was good.”

  I kept on walking.

  “Really good. Best cookie ever. And by the way, you’re going the wrong way.”

  I stopped and met his playful gaze. “Maybe I should go home.”

  “No way. You owe me now.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “Let’s start with how you just emasculated me. And then you brought me about five thousand calories I’m going to need to run off. And I like having something good to look at while I work out.” He directed me in the right direction and we began to head that way.

  “Do you really think it’s unmanly?”

  “What?”

  “Waiting to sleep with someone you love.”

  “I don’t fall in love.”

  “Right, I forgot.”

  We walked in awkward silence toward the lake near his apartment complex. It was a breathtaking view, with hundreds of trees in the vicinity showing off their autumn foliage. It was the one thing Wyoming lacked. Back home it seemed like we went straight from summer t
o winter. And the trees didn’t have the array of colors they did here.

  “This is beautiful.”

  “I thought you might like it. And don’t worry, I’ll take it slow so you can keep up.”

  “We’ll see who’s breathing harder when we’re done, city boy.” I took off on the path that wound around the lake.

  Zander easily caught up and kept pace with me.

  “What are you up for? 5k? 10k?”

  At first his eyes widened, but he recovered in no time. “I’ll go as long as you want to.”

  “All right.” I checked the fitness tracker around my wrist. “I usually try and keep an eight-minute-mile pace for a 10k, does that work for you?”

  I swore he puffed out his chest. “Not a problem.”

  We made small talk the first few kilometers, but I noticed Zander started concentrating more on his breathing the farther along we got. I may have picked up the pace a tad for fun. It wasn’t brutal, but it wasn’t a walk in the park. At the 5k mark I realized I was doing a seven-minute-mile pace, and Zander’s face was unusually red. I was going to call him on it, but I figured I had “emasculated” him enough for the day.

  I grabbed my side. “Ouch.” I slowed my pace and faked a stitch in my side.

  “Are you okay?” He could barely get it out. His breathing had become labored.

  “Do you mind if we slow down or take a break? I have this killer stitch in my side.”

  His paced slowed to a crawl in a second flat. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  I came to a stop and continued to rub my nonexistent pain.

  Zander was bent over breathing harder than was probably healthy.

  “Maybe if we sit down in the grass?” I suggested.

  He didn’t need me to ask twice. He hit the grass and lay down.

  I sat next to him and tried not to laugh. “Are you all right?”

  “Perfect.” I barely understood him

  “Are you sure?”

  He opened his eyes and focused in on me. “Your side doesn’t hurt, does it?”

  I laughed. “Nope.”

  He sat up, still breathing hard. “It’s been a while.”

  “I could tell.”

  “You’re getting too much pleasure out of this.”