Read Online Little Miss Lovesick by Kitty Bucholtz - Free Book Online
Authors: Kitty Bucholtz
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fiercely. I was getting cold feet already. I wasn’t sure I could do this with finesse. And without finesse, it would just make me feel worse about myself than I already did.
“Flirting can be the way to recovery. I saw you flirting with him earlier — and enjoying it immensely, I might add.” Em elbowed me lightly in the ribs.
I dropped my eyes. I couldn’t argue with that. But I didn’t mean it to be noticeable. The tiniest of smiles began to creep out. I t wa s a lot of fun. And it didn’t seem to be hurting anyone. Unless—
“What if he has a girlfriend?” I asked, rearranging myself against the log so we faced each other.
“He doesn’t. Remember what he said this morning? He was glad he didn’t have a girlfriend to keep him up talking all night? It’s just harmless flirting, Syd. It’s a fun self-esteem builder, that’s all.”
I snorted, and cocked my head at her. “And if it backfires, are you going to pick up the pieces?”
“Yes, but it won’t.” She leaned closer and grinned. “Trust me.”
Emily and I had our heads together, whispering and giggling, occasionally sneaking a peek at Matt. A moment later, she tapped her finger on my arm and grinned.
Matt turned toward us and caught us watching him. He looked over his shoulder, then back at us, then over the other shoulder before looking at us again. Of course we laughed. Exactly what he wanted, I could tell. He grinned.
Okay, that was cute.
He excused himself and wandered around the fire to where we sat.
Okay, that was scary.
“Hi,” said Emily. I looked at her and giggled softly. In one word she had managed to say, “Hello tall, dark, and handsome stranger. Come talk to us, your adoring fans.”
“Hi there, fisher ladies,” he said. He nodded and smiled at Em, then looked at me in my jeans and sweatshirt. He hunkered down beside me. “Warm enough?”
I grinned saucily at him. (Or at least tried. I’m not sure what a “saucy” grin looks like, but it sounds sexy in a cuter way than pure sexy — which isn’t me.) “For now,” I said.
Oh my gosh, I did it! Even I recognized that as flirting.
“Let me know if you get cold,” he said, never taking his eyes off me. “I’ll give you the shirt off my back — ’cause I’m that kind of guy.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.
“Very Good Samaritan of you, kind sir. But how many shirts can you give away? Because you’ve already given me two.”
He laughed. It made me feel like maybe I was cute and funny. I remembered his T-shirt from this morning. “So, what does ‘Runs With Scissors’ mean?”
“It’s my Indian name.”
I paused for an instant, then laughed. No , h e was the cute and funny one.
The three of us chatted and laughed and ate s’mores. I could tell that Matt noticed me flirting. And it looked like he was enjoying it. Em was right — I was feeling much better.
After a while, Emily got to her feet. “I think I’m going to hit the hay so I can get up early and catch some fish before we go home tomorrow.” She yawned a very ladylike (i.e., fake) yawn. “G’night, you two.”
I looked around, suddenly noticing that the three of us were the only ones left around the fire. “Oh! Well—”
“Hey,” Em said quickly, “would you mind giving me five minutes of privacy? I need to write a letter.”
I looked at her funny. A letter?
“Oh, what am I saying?” She laughed down at Matt and me, still sitting against the log. “It’ll take me more than five minutes to write a letter. Would you mind giving me a half hour?”
I chickened out. Couldn’t do it. “I promise not to look,” I said, getting up and dusting myself off.
Emily didn’t give up easily. “I don’t want to keep you up with the light on and all.”
“Don’t worry. I can sleep through anything.” A big lie, and she knew it. “Thanks for the s’mores, Matt. See you in the morning.”
Before she could say anything more than “good night,” I grabbed her hand and
“Flirting can be the way to recovery. I saw you flirting with him earlier — and enjoying it immensely, I might add.” Em elbowed me lightly in the ribs.
I dropped my eyes. I couldn’t argue with that. But I didn’t mean it to be noticeable. The tiniest of smiles began to creep out. I t wa s a lot of fun. And it didn’t seem to be hurting anyone. Unless—
“What if he has a girlfriend?” I asked, rearranging myself against the log so we faced each other.
“He doesn’t. Remember what he said this morning? He was glad he didn’t have a girlfriend to keep him up talking all night? It’s just harmless flirting, Syd. It’s a fun self-esteem builder, that’s all.”
I snorted, and cocked my head at her. “And if it backfires, are you going to pick up the pieces?”
“Yes, but it won’t.” She leaned closer and grinned. “Trust me.”
Emily and I had our heads together, whispering and giggling, occasionally sneaking a peek at Matt. A moment later, she tapped her finger on my arm and grinned.
Matt turned toward us and caught us watching him. He looked over his shoulder, then back at us, then over the other shoulder before looking at us again. Of course we laughed. Exactly what he wanted, I could tell. He grinned.
Okay, that was cute.
He excused himself and wandered around the fire to where we sat.
Okay, that was scary.
“Hi,” said Emily. I looked at her and giggled softly. In one word she had managed to say, “Hello tall, dark, and handsome stranger. Come talk to us, your adoring fans.”
“Hi there, fisher ladies,” he said. He nodded and smiled at Em, then looked at me in my jeans and sweatshirt. He hunkered down beside me. “Warm enough?”
I grinned saucily at him. (Or at least tried. I’m not sure what a “saucy” grin looks like, but it sounds sexy in a cuter way than pure sexy — which isn’t me.) “For now,” I said.
Oh my gosh, I did it! Even I recognized that as flirting.
“Let me know if you get cold,” he said, never taking his eyes off me. “I’ll give you the shirt off my back — ’cause I’m that kind of guy.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.
“Very Good Samaritan of you, kind sir. But how many shirts can you give away? Because you’ve already given me two.”
He laughed. It made me feel like maybe I was cute and funny. I remembered his T-shirt from this morning. “So, what does ‘Runs With Scissors’ mean?”
“It’s my Indian name.”
I paused for an instant, then laughed. No , h e was the cute and funny one.
The three of us chatted and laughed and ate s’mores. I could tell that Matt noticed me flirting. And it looked like he was enjoying it. Em was right — I was feeling much better.
After a while, Emily got to her feet. “I think I’m going to hit the hay so I can get up early and catch some fish before we go home tomorrow.” She yawned a very ladylike (i.e., fake) yawn. “G’night, you two.”
I looked around, suddenly noticing that the three of us were the only ones left around the fire. “Oh! Well—”
“Hey,” Em said quickly, “would you mind giving me five minutes of privacy? I need to write a letter.”
I looked at her funny. A letter?
“Oh, what am I saying?” She laughed down at Matt and me, still sitting against the log. “It’ll take me more than five minutes to write a letter. Would you mind giving me a half hour?”
I chickened out. Couldn’t do it. “I promise not to look,” I said, getting up and dusting myself off.
Emily didn’t give up easily. “I don’t want to keep you up with the light on and all.”
“Don’t worry. I can sleep through anything.” A big lie, and she knew it. “Thanks for the s’mores, Matt. See you in the morning.”
Before she could say anything more than “good night,” I grabbed her hand and
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