Read Online La Vie en Rose {Life in Pink} by Lydia Michaels - Free Book Online Page A

Right. Do you work out? You look fit.”
    Feeling a bit exposed, she shifted and sipped her drink. Was that a normal date question? “Not particularly.”
    “I’m at zero percent body fat right now. That takes dedication, but that’s the kind of guy I am. I know what I want and I go for it. Hardcore. Always closing.”
    Forcing herself not to laugh, as he was clearly devoted to these ideals, she considered how much bacon she ate on a regular basis.
    He said something about his car, but the sunglasses around his neck momentarily distracted her. It was dark out—put the glasses away.
    “Tell me something about yourself, Emma. What’s your five year plan?”
    Was she interviewing for a pyramid scheme? “Um... I’d like to find a new job.”
    “Good. It’s important to push for more, always strive to be at the top of our game. Losers wait for motivation. Winners make things happen. Doesn’t matter what you do as long as you get out there every day and crush it.”
    He was more exhausting than a preschooler, but if she looked hard enough, she could see his nipples through the cotton of his shirt. “Um... what was the question?”
    “What are your goals?”
    Finished with her drink, she stifled a giggle. Given the choice, Mark might ask to see her resume before her boobs. “I’d like to someday own a car less than a decade old.”
    His brow lowered. “What?”
    This was simply too much. “Look, Mark, I’m not in the market for anything serious right now. I do, however, think you’re cute. I’m just getting out of a really long relationship and the only thing in my plan is a guy capable of making me forget my ex for one night. Do you think you could be that guy?”
    His expression was priceless, a cross between shock and fascination. “Do I...you want...me and you...I should...”
    It was sort of fun being the aggressor in this instance. “Sex, Mark. I’m asking if you’re interested in having sex with me.”
    A garbled string of chirps escaped his throat, sort of like a sentence of hiccups. “Y—yes.” He cleared his throat and dropped his voice an octave. “Yes. I would very much like to have sex with you.”
    He was definitely more attractive when he was silent.  “Good. Why don’t you order us each a shot and clear the tab? I’m going to freshen up and then we’ll head back to my place.”
    “O—okay.”
    She slid out of the booth and hid a smirk. The new her was ballsy. She liked it.
    After using the ladies room and washing her hands, she gave herself a mental pep talk. Mark was perfect one-night-stand material. His personality was long-term repellant, an insurance that would prevent any attachment issues from unexpectedly cropping up. Plus, he was pretty and she was very interested in counting his abs with her tongue.
    Stepping out of the ladies room someone snagged her arm and forced her to an abrupt stop. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
    “Riley. Jesus. You scared me!”
    “You can not go home with that douchebag. He keeps checking himself out in his phone.”
    She yanked her arm out of his grip and tsked. “I’m not going to marry the guy, Riley. And he’s got reason to check himself out. He’s hot.”
    His face scrunched up. “Ew. Come on, Emma. I feel violated thinking of him in our home. You can’t honestly be considering letting him in you .”
    Her mouth unhinged as her cheeks burned. “Riley!”
    “What? Look at him. He has a neck tattoo of a dollar sign.”
    She shook her head. “You’re such a hypocrite. I’ve seen some of the women you’ve brought home. Talk about double standards—”
    “Yes, Emma, it’s a double standard. Tough shit if you don’t like it. This guy’s a total piece of shit. He’s a condescending, superficial narcissist. I’m not telling you to give up on finding a hookup, but for Christ’s sake, raise the bar above a crawl and let someone better than that snake get by. Oh, and by the way, your big tipper doesn’t leave a