Free Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories (The Flirts! Collection) by Lisa Scott

time of year. “I was more in love with the idea of getting married than getting married to them.” I shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. I just knew it wasn’t right. Actually, I think I knew that when each one of them proposed, but it was hard to say no. I wanted to believe it could work out. That’s what everyone expected me to be doing. Getting married.” I shook my head, my long crystal earrings grazing my face. “I was young and dumb.”
    He spun the wine glass round by its stem. “I think you were smart, not getting into a situation that wasn’t right for you.”
    I pressed my eyes shut. My voice came out in a strangled whisper. “You have no idea how embarrassing it is to have three broken engagements to your name.”
    He ran his finger down my arm and I shivered. “Probably no worse than an arrest record,” he said.
    I nodded, feeling like a jerk complaining about the love landmines from my past. It was nothing compared with what he’d been through. “We should probably go.”
    We headed for the driveway and he opened the door of his truck for me. “Winston must’ve been mad he couldn’t come,” I said.
    “You have no idea. I expect my couch will be torn up when I get home.”

    We had great seats at the concert, and I hated thinking about how much he’d spent on the tickets. I had no idea how much a roofer made, but it probably wasn’t much. Once Aerosmith hit the stage, the teenaged girls seated next to me were up and dancing, and bumping into me, so Tony pulled me in front of him and set his hands on my shoulders.
    His hands were big and warm. I could feel the hard, smooth calluses on his palms against my skin. If his fingers traveled up my neck, they’d feel how my pulse had quickened. He was a head taller than me, and I leaned back against him, fitting nicely in his arms.
    Despite the thousands of people in the arena and the deafening music, I could only concentrate on the intimate details between the two of us: the way his hands slid down and looped around my waist, how he rested his chin on my head, the way my lips tingled and burned as I thought about kissing him.
    I turned my head and looked up at him. I tried to smile, but I could only part my lips. His pupils widened and he bent down and dragged his lips over mine, turning my shoulders so I was facing him. He ran his thumb along my jawline and then pressed my chin, opening my mouth wider.
    I wrapped my arms around his neck. “That’s better,” I said, taking his mouth in mine.
    He pulled me against him and snaked one hand through my hair.
    “Get a room,” someone behind us hollered.
    I tipped my mouth to his ear. “That’s not a bad idea.”
    A grin split his face. “Wanna get out of here?”
    My throat was too thick to let the words out, so I just nodded.
    He took my shaking hand and led me down the row, up the stairs, and out of the arena. We ran through the parking lot. “Where to?” he asked, as we approached his truck.
    “My place. It’s close enough.”
    We reached his pickup and he pinned me against the side, taking my face in his hands, then swiping his lips across mine with a teasing lick before unlocking my door.
    His grin was wicked. “Well, hurry up then.” He helped me in.
    He pushed his speed only eight miles over the limit. “Straight as an arrow these days.”
    I squeezed his hand, realizing what he’d risked by punching that guy.
    He flicked on the radio, but it didn’t ease the tension between us—two people who knew what they were getting into, with time to talk themselves out of it. But there was no question—I wanted Tony.
    We were at my house before I knew it. I dashed to the front step, Tony’s fingers wrapped around mine. He rested his hands on my hips as I tried to unlock the door. I dropped my keys, and then fumbled to get the door open.
    We tumbled inside, and his arms were around me again, pushing me back until I was against a wall. He braced his hands behind me. “Are you sure about