The Off Limits Rule (It Happened in Nashville 1)

“Talk down about yourself being a mom. I can’t take it anymore. You’re beautiful, Lucy, and you’ve got a great body that doesn’t need constant prefacing that you think it’s flawed. And you know what else?” He’s really fired up. “Being a mom doesn’t make you less appealing. It makes you the whole package.”

My face is blood-red now—basically, the same color as my dress—as I scan my eyes across the restaurant until I spot Cooper, standing in the hallway that leads to the bathrooms. He’s staring right at me.

I can’t have this conversation with him right now. I shouldn’t even be talking to him. And if Ethan knew I was talking to another man on our date, he’d be out of here so fast I wouldn’t even be able to say his name. Which…maybe wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world? No, it would, and I’m a terrible person.

“That’s okay,” I say in a fake happy tone while narrowing my eyes at Cooper. “Just give him an extra sip of water and I’m sure he’ll go right to sleep.”

Cooper frowns momentarily before he realizes what I’m doing. “Ohhhh. He thinks you’re on the phone with your sitter? Okay, I can have some fun with this. What color underwear do you have on?”

“YEP. NO PROBLEM! SEE YOU LATER.” And I hang up quickly.

Ethan frowns at my crazy-lady smile. “She can’t get him to bed?”

“Nope, sure can’t. Will you excuse me a minute? I need to use the restroom.” I’m already standing and barreling toward the hallway.

Cooper is still standing there, leaning against the wall and smirking at me like he knew even before I did that I’d be meeting him back here. I push him farther down the hall, and his eyebrows lift. Shoot, he looks so sexy tonight in this black button-down and slate-gray dress pants. He doesn’t look businessy. He just looks impeccable.

“What is your aim here? Are you trying to sabotage my date? Is this a prank? WHAT IS IT?” I say, backing him against the wall and jabbing my finger into his chest.

He breaks the unspoken friendship rules and reaches out to run a hand from my shoulder down my arm. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

He shrugs, giving me an adorable, unsure, tilted smile. “I guess I’m just here as a friend to look out for you…since Drew isn’t in town.”

I narrow my eyes, every inch of my skin aware of how his hand is still holding my wrist. “A friend…to look out for me,” I repeat, having trouble getting that explanation to match up with his actions.

“But then I saw how bored you looked and couldn’t take it. I wanted you to have some fun.”

“So, you were just trying to get a rise out of me when you said all that on the phone? About my…well, you know.”

“No. I was just being honest.”

“Oh…” I don’t know what to do with this information. Cooper is touching me tenderly, but he’s not making any moves to take us past friendship. I want to ask if this is a product of the bro code, but once again, I’m scared. Maybe he’s just a touchy-feely guy. WAIT—he’s here on a date! The scoundrel, sneaking off to hold another woman’s wrist in a darkened hallway!

I pull my hand away. “And how do you think your date would feel if she knew you snuck off to call and tell me all that?”

He shrugs one shoulder. “Fine. We’re not on a date. Just old friends hanging out, and she’s knows I’m back here calling you. I told her what I was going to do.”

“Oh…well, I hope you two have a very nice time.”

“That wasn’t fun to say, was it?” Ugh, I’m no match for that smile. I need to get out of here. I’m about to push him into one of those bathroom stalls and become really good friends with him.

I begin backing away slowly. “Quit doing all…this.” I wiggle my fingers in his general direction.

He smiles softly and stuffs his hands in his pockets. “All what?”

“You know.” I let my eyes rake over him one last greedy time.

“Fine, I’ll try.”

“No, you won’t.”

“You’re right. Better put your phone in your purse if you don’t want to blush all night. Your inbox is about to see some real action.”

“You wouldn’t.”

His grin says, Wanna bet?