Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)

“Were?” Mandy snorts. “More like we still are.”

“Only when I’m talking to you.”

“That’s right,” she says and I just know she’s smirking into her phone. “I bring out the best in you.”

I can’t argue with her there so I just sigh into the phone.

I’ve known Mandy since preschool and she’s always been more like a sister to me than a best friend. Even when she moved out to California we talked on the phone every day without fail. And when she moved back, we didn’t have to waste any time catching up. Between Skype, texts, and phone calls it was almost like she was never gone.

Almost.

“So, are you and Max dating or just fuck buddies?”

“Um,” I reply, a little stumped on that one. “I’m not sure if we’re anything.”

“You mean after all of that you don’t know?”

I stare into my bedroom mirror and lift my shirt. The hickey he left on my breast is still there, a dark splotch beside my nipple. He said he was marking what was his. Yet, I don’t know where I stand with him. Does he want to see me again? Right after our amazing sex I would have said yes.

But, “He was really quiet when he dropped me off. I think having to drive me home so early irritated him or something.”

Probably made him realize how inconvenient hooking up with a single mom can be.

Now that I’ve slept on it, and thought about it all morning, plus the fact I’ve yet to hear from him—no phones calls, no texts, no nothing—I’m thinking everything Max said and did was just in the heat of the moment.

r /> I’m not getting my hopes up, dammit. I’ve already been there and done that with Carson.

“Oh, screw that. If he doesn’t call you soon I’m going to kick his ass.”

I laugh, remembering I told her the very same thing in regards to Brett not too long ago.

“Or… I can always ask Brett if he wants to go on a double date with you two.”

I groan and ask her to, “Please don’t do that, please.”

“Why not?” she asks trying but failing to sound innocent.

“Because I don’t want you or Brett trying to pressure him to date me. I want him to date me because he wants to date me.”

“Pfft, how could he not want to? You’re like the hottest bitch I know. If I were into girls I’d so date you.”

“Yeah,” I chuckle, swallowing back all the valid reasons for Max not wanting to date me. Like all the responsibilities and inconveniences that come with me—such as ending the night early and having my ex forever in the picture. And just say, “I’d date me too.”

“That’s right,” Mandy says, sounding pleased with my answer. “So does Friday night work for you?”

“No, dammit.”

“Saturday?”

“Mandy, please don’t do that to me,” I beg. “Please.”

“Argh,” Mandy says and I can just picture her throwing her hands up in the air. But she’s stubborn dammit, always has been. Once she gets something in her head it can be hard for her to let it go. “How about we just get together and hang out, do something casual? ”

Now I’m the one saying, “Argh,” and throwing my hands in the air.

“I really want to hang with you,” she whines and I feel a little guilty for shooting her down. “I can invite a bunch of other people if you want me to so it’s not a double date.”

“Like the other ring girls?” I ask and immediately want to kick myself. Yeah, that sounds like fun, inviting along all the hot girls so Max can compare them to me side by side.