Almost Matched (Almost Bad Boys) by A.O. Peart Read Free Book Online Page A

started about six days earlier continues its assault on the city.
    “I hate this weather.” I pout, opening the menu.  
    “Yeah. Me too,” Ali murmurs, studying hers.  
    “Honestly, this kind of weather is only good for one thing—indoor sex.” I try to decide between linguini Alfredo and chicken lasagna.  
    “As opposed to an outdoor sex?” Ali asks, impassively.
    “I doubt anyone in this boring city ever has outdoor sex. Speaking hypothetically, have you ever seen anyone doing it on Alki Beach or on the beach at Golden Gardens?”  
    Ali gives me a dubious look. “Well, for starters that would qualify as an illegal activity. Secondly—Seattle men in general would view such an idea as absurd. It’s just not done here. Even if you had a very private balcony or a terrace, I bet it would be close to impossible to find a guy who would actually enjoy something as crazy as outdoor sex. And I’m not talking about bums or teenagers, obviously.”
    “Obviously,” I agree. “And you’ve got that right. This city is boring. Let’s move to L.A. or New York. You know, we could totally open another location somewhere else and have someone manage the Seattle office.”
    “Maybe. If we find a solid person and train them to cover the Seattle market, it shouldn’t be too hard to run both locations.”  
    “I’m telling you—more and more of our clients are like that Esther woman: they don’t effing know what they really want. Their own insecurities prevent them from opening up to others.”  
    “She’s a nutcase. We can’t meet her needs. She doesn’t even know herself what those needs are.”
    A twenty-two-year-old waiter, Giuseppe, walks over to our table. There is a sincere smile on his face. “Ali! Natalie! How wonderful to see you,” he exclaims. He’s not a super-big guy or particularly gorgeous. But his tight-across-chest-and-shoulders black t-shirt can’t disguise the fact that he has a lean, firm body. And there is something electrifying and undeniably sexy about him.  
    He pours water into our glasses from a huge glass pitcher. “I missed you, ladies. It’s been too long.” Giuseppe means he missed Ali.  
    Ali and Giuseppe have a past—a very steamy past. It ended a few months ago, after he wanted to spend more time with her and kept inviting her to his family gatherings. Ali wasn’t ready to settle down and didn’t care much for his loud, obnoxiously curious relatives. They parted ways in a civilized manner and remained something close to friends.  
    “Good to see you too, darling.” Ali stands up and hugs him. She lingers more than she normally would.  
    I notice that his grin disappears, replaced by a longing expression. It vanishes as soon as Ali pulls away.  
    He clears his throat and says, “I will give you a minute to decide, unless you’re ready.”
    “Oh, we are ready.”   I chuckle. “To order, I mean.”  
    His eyebrows shoot up, and his eyes twinkle with delight. “That I don’t doubt.” He chortles.
    We order, and Giuseppe walks toward the kitchen. I can’t help but keep my eyes glued to his small, very tight butt.  
    “Too bad you’ve dated him,” I say to Ali, trying to keep a sudden yearning out of my voice.  
    She drinks her water and gurgles something that sounds like a ‘why’ into her glass, her eyes going large.  
    “Because he’s a total babe. I wouldn’t mind exploring that yumminess,” I comment matter-of-factly.  
    Ali nonchalantly shrugs. But when she says, “Go for it. I don’t mind, you know that,” I don’t hear enough conviction put into that statement.  
    “Oh, you dummy. It would be really awkward. No way am I doing a guy that you had a thing with before. You know the rules.”
    She blows a raspberry. “That thing is so over. And hell with the rules. If you like him—”
    “Nah,” I interrupt. “It was my hoo-ha speaking and not my brain.”
    She grins. “Davenport, you need to get laid. Tonight.”
    “I always