Page 49 of Blush

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Gigi says. “Something else is different. I can’t quite put my finger on— Oh my God. You had sex!”

Thank God my natural flush is being covered up by the cheek rouge I applied rather liberally. I somehow keep my jaw from dropping to the floor.

“Mandy?” Frankie says.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I’m so warm, I think my sweat glands may explode.

“Gigi has sex radar,” Frankie says. “If she says you had sex, you had sex.”

“Well, I hate to tell you this, Gigi, but your radar has failed you.”

Except her radar hasn’t failed her. Not only did I have sex, I had the most amazing panty-melting sex with the unrequited love of my life.

“Seriously?” Gigi shakes her head. “I’m never wrong.”

“You are this ti—”

“Excuse me?” Someone taps my shoulder.

I turn to see a tall and handsome man standing next to me.

“Would you like to dance?” he asks.

“Sure.” I rise, secretly thanking this guy for putting an end to a conversation I did not want to have.

He leads me to the dance floor, which is crowded but not unbearable. It’s a fast song playing, so I don’t have to get close to him or anything.

He’s nice-looking. Blond hair, some scruffy brown stubble, and dark-blue eyes.

“I’m Michael,” he yells over the music.

“Mandy,” I yell back.

“Brandy?”

“Mandy!”

“Mandy, nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

And…we’ve effectively run out of things to talk about. Good thing we’re dancing, and we can pretend to be really into the music.

When the song ends, I hold out my hand. “Thanks, Michael. Nice meeting you.”

“Can I get you a drink?” he asks.

“I should have one. The waitress should’ve brought it by now.”

“No problem. I get it.”

He’s a nice guy, and I think I just hurt his feelings. God, I’m so bad at this.

I smile at him. “Tell you what. Why don’t I getyoua drink?”

He brightens then. “I’m a gentleman. I don’t let a lady buy my drinks. But would you like to join me at my table?”

“Sure.”