“Um, wait!” AJ cried, but I had already jerked it out.
“Get Well Soon,” I read aloud. When I glanced from the card with its smiley face beaming loud and proud over to AJ, I couldn’t help laughing. “Nice.”
For the first time ever, AJ’s swagger receded a bit. He ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck furiously. Finally, he peered up at me with a sheepish expression, which made him even hotter than before. “Okay, I’m busted. I bought them downstairs in the gift shop.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but Dee beat me to the punch. “I don’t know what Mimi’s problem is if she doesn’t appreciate the fact you went all the way downstairs to get her some flowers.”
“I didn’t say I’m not appreciative,” I countered.
“Then maybe don’t bust my balls so hard by giving me shit about some gift shop flowers?” AJ suggested with a small smile.
“Okay, I won’t.”
“Thanks.”
“And I did mean it when I said they were beautiful. I haven’t had a man bring me flowers in a very long time.”
“It was a nice gesture, huh?”
I smiled. “A very nice one.”
Dee’s neck had been bobbing back and forth between AJ and me like he was watching a tennis match. “I think it’s time I leave you two to talk.” As he started off, he glanced at me over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about your patients. I’ll cover for you.”
“Yeah, make sure the boss lady doesn’t find out.”
Dee snickered and gave me a wink before heading down the hallway. I glanced at AJ, trying desperately not to let the anxiety bubbling within me show through. I knew he was the type of guy who could smell fear and use it to his advantage. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet in the awkward silence. “So, how old are you?”
His brows shot up in surprise. “Wow, that came out of nowhere.”
With a shrug, I replied, “I thought we should get to know each other a little. Age is pretty basic.”
“Fine then. I’m twenty-five. How old are you?”
My nose wrinkled a little. “I’m twenty-eight. I don’t usually date younger men.”
AJ rubbed his palms together. “Then let me take your cougar virginity.”
I laughed. “You’re not letting this go, are you?”
“Nope. I’m going to keep on and on until I wear you down, and you finally go out with me.”
“Seriously?”
“Mia, Mia, Mia, what am I going to do with you?”
“I’m sure you have several NC-17 rated scenarios running through your mind at this moment.”
Throwing his head back, AJ laughed heartily. “Yep, I do actually. But all joking aside, do I really need to continue pleading my case? I just brought you gift shop flowers for Christ sake!”
“That’s true.”
“Can I shoot straight with you?”
Tilting my head thoughtfully, I replied, “I think after I gave your junk a rubdown, we can be pretty honest with each other.”
AJ groaned. “Don’t remind me of that.” When I opened my mouth, he wagged a finger in my face. “And before you can demean it, I did enjoy it.”
“Fabulous.”
“Anyway. Here’s how I see it. We’re both young, single people needing a ‘date’—be it a romantic interlude or hot, sweaty sex.”
I turned a strangled cry into a cough. “That’s certainly not beating around the bush.”
“The time for subtlety has gone, Mia.”
“I see.”
AJ closed the gap between us. I stepped away from him until my back banged against the wall. Looming over me, AJ’s dark eyes twinkled with intensity. “You were totally shit-on by a major dickhead and need to get back in the game. The easiest way to do that is no-holds bar, uncomplicated sex. Don’t you agree?”
That statement got my blood up and thrumming through my veins. “Yes,” I whispered.
“Finally we see eye to eye on something. It’s a win-win situation for both of us. You get to fuck that douchebag of an ex-fiancé out of your system, and I get laid in the process.”
“How generous of you.”
AJ laughed. “I’m a very giving person—of myself, my time…of orgasms.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“Then it’s a date?”
“It’s a maybe right now because I have a few conditions.”
“Such as?”
“Being a famous musician, I would wager you’ve gotten around a lot.”
AJ’s lips curved up into his signature smirk. “Regardless of your comment back in Frank’s room, you don’t have to worry about my stamina, cariño. I’ll give you a night you’ll never forget.”
I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. “Yeah, that’s not what I was talking about.”
“Then what?”
Leaning closer to him, I said, “If I were to take you up on your offer, I would want you to get tested before I slept with you.”
AJ’s jaw dropped to his chest. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. You wanted to know if I was free this weekend, and the major tests only take forty-eight hours to come back.” When he didn’t respond, I replied, “I’ll be happy to do the same.”
A curious expression replaced the scowl on AJ’s face. “Does that mean I’ll be riding bareback if my tests come back clean?”
My brows furrowed in confusion. “Huh?”
“You know, sex without a condom.”
“Um, no, I don’t think so.”
“And why the hell not?”
“Well, if you must know, I can’t take birth control because of the migraines I have. So we would need the protection.”
“Ah, I see. Bummer.”
“Take it or leave it, big boy.”
AJ grinned. “I’ll take it.”
“Good.”
“So we’re on for Friday night?”
My heartbeat accelerated in my chest while I fought to catch my breath. Was I actually going down this road? Sex with a stranger? Well, a man who was basically a stranger to me but well known to everyone else—lots of females included. I thought of Mama Sofia and how dead inside I’d been since her passing. That coupled with Dev’s infidelity had crippled me. I wanted—no I needed—to feel alive again.
“Yes,” I finally replied.