The Hazards of a One Night Stand by Alyssa Rose Ivy

number.
    “Colt and that boyfriend.” He took another sip. “Aren’t you going to ask me the same question?”
    “No.” I had no desire to know about his past conquests. The number and names didn’t matter since I was almost 100% positive I was never sleeping with Tanner. There wasn’t enough between us.
    “See, I knew you just wanted to talk about yourself.”
    “No. I just don’t care about this conversation.”
    He leaned back in his chair. “Man, you’re a hard girl to please.”
    I ignored the comment and took another bite of my salad.
    He smiled suddenly. “I’ve heard you were a little bit of a heart breaker last year.”
    I dropped my fork onto my plate. A couple at the next table looked over. “That’s not true.”
    “Yeah? Then what happened with Ryan?”
    “I don’t know if I should tell you.”
    “Come on.” He leaned across the table slightly. “No secrets.”
    “You really want to know?”
    “Yes. I definitely want to know.”
    “We were going to hook up when he suddenly missed his ex and broke down crying.”
    Tanner laughed. “For real? Ryan bawled on you before sex?”
    “Pathetic, huh?”
    “For him, yeah. Not for you.”
    “I’d like to think I’m enough to distract a guy from his ex.”
    He picked up my hand that was resting on the table. “Mallory, you could distract a man from just about anything.” There was something about the way he said it that made things far less awkward.
    “Is that so?”
    “Absolutely.” He moistened his lips, and I wondered if he was thinking about kissing me.
    “Interesting.” I took a long sip of my tea.
    We finished eating and set aside our silverware. If I’d been wearing a watch, I’d have been subtly looking at it. I was definitely ready to go.
    “Would you like dessert?” he asked as soon as the waiter collected our plates.
    “I’m all right, but feel free.”
    “I might get coffee.”
    “Oh. I could do that.” If I was going to have to wait for him anyway, I might as well get something.
    “Are you sure that’s it? You don’t have a sweet tooth?”
    “I do. But I’m full.”
    “That salad filled you up that much?” He made a noise that might be considered a snort.
    “Yes.”
    “If you say so.” He ordered us both a coffee.
    “Do you like arguing with me?” I shifted my legs under the table and inadvertently brushed mine against Tanner’s. He didn’t seem to mind.
    “Yes. You get really animated when you’re annoyed.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “Yes, you do.” He grinned. “You’re doing it right now.”
    The waiter came over with our coffees, and I added my sweetener and cream.
    “Well, I don’t like arguing.”
    “Yes, you do. What is it about you and denying things?” He sipped his coffee.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Your first instinct is to deny.” He set down his cup.
    “No, it’s not.”
    He laughed. “There it is. And when Colt outed your hook up, you immediately denied it.”
    I blanched. “First Ryan, and now Colt? Are you purposely trying to sabotage this date?”
    He leaned back in his chair. “No. Not at all. I’m just curious about what makes you tick.”
    “I’m not that hard of a girl to understand.”
    “No. You’re not. Except that you’re hiding something, or more than one thing.”
    “What do you think I’m hiding?” I shifted in my chair nervously.
    “I haven’t figured it out yet.”
    “Phew. At least I have time to distract you.” I threw him my most dazzling smile.
    He laughed. “You’re something else, Mallory.”
    “I know.”
    “So what else should I know about you? You don’t seem to like my questions, so why not decide for yourself what I learn?”
    “You want to know about me?”
    “Yeah.” He pulled out his wallet when the waiter dropped off the bill. I didn’t bother offering to split it. I always let the guy pay. It fed their ego. Arguing just made it seem like you didn’t think they could afford you, or that you were a cheap