“Okay. I just worry about you.”
“I know you do, and I love you for it,” Paige said sincerely. “But I’m not going to let it stop me from going out with him one more time. Last date, I swear.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it, Miss Lacy Panties.”
“Ugh, I keep forgetting you see the clothes I lay out for tomorrow.”
“It’s because you gave me your bedroom. If you’d let me have the couch, you could keep your sex panties a secret from me,” Paxtyn laughed.
“When you’re in remission, and you write a book about your battle against cancer, I fully expect to read that seeing my sex panties was easily the most traumatic part of your harrowing journey,” Paige said with a laugh.
“It’s a possibility. Now go put your date outfit somewhere I can’t see it. I’ll have nightmares with those pink lacies staring at me all night.”
“You’re nuts,” Paige said with an eyeroll, but she went in the bedroom and retrieved the offending bra and panty set, stowing it in the linen cabinet in the bathroom, “I’ll put it on after my shower. I’ll yell from the door, so you can cover your eyes. I wouldn’t want your corneas burned out by the sight of me in underwear.”
“Lacy underwear. Designed to seduce.”
“They were on clearance at Victoria’s Secret. I’m pretty sure that once they put it in the clearance bin, they’ve been stripped of all seductive powers.”
“Do they remove the sexiness when they put a sale tag on?” Paxtyn asked dubiously.
“I think there’s a clerk that has that job. Make sure all the magical powers are removed from the lingerie before it goes in the plastic bin marked size medium,” Paige said.
“This is not the smartest thing you’ve ever done. I’m serious.”
“I know you worry about me, and it’s really sweet. I only agreed to go out with him twice. Nothing is going to happen that I don’t want. I’m a big girl, sissy.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. That you want something to happen. I know you. I know how sweet and loyal you are, and I don’t th
ink he’s the kind of guy who will appreciate that. He doesn’t deserve you.”
“Thanks. I think. Unless that was one of those backhanded compliments that means he’s way out of my league and I’m setting myself up for a disappointment. Because I know he’s attracted to me. Also, how on earth could you decide all that about him in the four seconds he was in our apartment?”
“Easy. He only stayed about four seconds. If he was into you, he would have hung around, fussed over your leg, tried to stay for dinner. He didn’t. He just bolted out of here.”
“Maybe he was uncomfortable with my sister sniffing around like he was a felon,” Paige suggested.
“I did not sniff him. Not even once. And if I had, he’s in my home, and I have every right to sniff the guests if that’s my thing. Which it isn’t. I didn’t demand to know what his intentions are. I didn’t do anything to run him off. He left on his own.”
“I guess you’re right about him not staying around, but he did call to check on me. And he sent flowers to my desk today that said, ‘get well soon.’”
“You mean his secretary sent flowers. Men like that don’t do their own ordering. They have women to take care of menial details,” Paxtyn said derisively.
“Gina is his secretary. I’ll ask her if it makes you feel better.”
“It’s not going to make me feel better. The only thing that will, apart from a sudden and low-cost cure for cancer, is you canceling the date and coming to your senses.”
“You have a better shot at the cure,” Paige teased, “I’m going out to have some fun. I’m not going to do anything stupid or reckless. I swear. But don’t go trying to set a curfew for me.”
“You’d stay out later just to spite,” Paxtyn sighed.
“You know me well. Now go to bed. You have bloodwork early in the morning.”
“Don’t remind me. I swear, if I get better, I’m never getting up that early again unless it’s to catch a flight for a fabulous vacation.”
“WHEN. When you get better, not if,” Paige corrected gently.
“Right,” Paxtyn said a little bitterly, “Goodnight.”