Man Shy Read Free

trying to say? “ Oh, ” she said. “ Because of your orientation, you mean? ”
    “ My orientation? ” Brody arched an eyebrow.
    She flushed. “ Look, it doesn ’ t matter to me. Live and let live, I always say. Heck, Kyle ’ s one of my best friends, and any friend of Kyle ’ s is a friend of mine. ”
    Kyle smirked. “ She means she doesn ’ t mind that you ’ re gay. ”
    Brody ’ s pale eyes bored into hers. “ That ’ s very broad-minded of you, ”
    Mallory bit her lip. “ I ’ m sorry if I said anything to give offense. The thing is, I ’ m desperate. Heck, I ’ ve tried everything from escort services to personal ads. All the applicants were a wash. Either they were weenie little weasels who wouldn ’ t fool Lindsey for a second or they were way too eager to ’ ring my chimes. ’ That ’ s a direct quote, by the way, from Mr. Dial-A-Date. His name was Ramon and he looked like a gigolo. I swear to God the man had glue-on chest hair. ”
    “ So, ” said Kyle, “ are you game? ”
    “ Glue-on chest hair? ” Brody ’ s expression defied description, falling somewhere between incredulity and revulsion.
    “ And gold chains like somebody caught in a seventies time warp. I ’ m pretty sure he used mascara on his mustache too. ”
    Brody blinked. “ Mascara? ”
    “ And nail polish. ”
    “ On his mustache? ”
    “ No, of course not. His fingernails. ”
    “ What color? ”
    “ Clear, ” she admitted, “ but even so c”
    Brody nodded in sympathy. “ Even so. ”
    Kyle smacked the table with his palm. “ These digressions are all very fascinating, people, but to get back to the point, what do you say, Brody? Will you do it? ”
    “ Do what, exactly? You ’ re just talking about a date, right? A onetime shot? No strings? ”
    “ More like a two-time shot, actually, counting the rehearsal dinner. But absolutely no strings, ” Mallory promised. She waited nervously for his answer. He was going to say no. She could feel it in her bones.
    Brody shrugged. “ Sure. Okay. ”
    “ Why does she think I ’ m gay? You been lying to the lady? ” Brody stuffed a chunk of chicken chimichanga in his mouth. Kyle, taking pity on his famished state, had agreed to this dinner at Chico ’ s. Unfortunately, he ’ d insisted that Brody shower and change first, which meant his poor stomach was only now, at a quarter to eight, getting relief.
    “ I wouldn ’ t call it lying exactly. ” Kyle wiped his salsa-covered fingertips on a napkin. “ When I offered to fix her up, she assumed that since you ’ re my friend, you must be gay too. And then, when I arranged for her to meet you at the Blue Russian c” He shrugged.
    Brody chewed slowly, thinking about it. “ Sounds to me like you wanted her to jump to the wrong conclusion. ”
    “ Yes, well c” Another shrug.
    “ Well, what? ”
    “ Mallory ’ s a terrific person. ” Kyle paused, nodding thoughtfully and sipping his margarita.
    Brody drained his second bottle of beer. “ But? ”
    Kyle poked his enchilada, not meeting Brody ’ s gaze. “ But shy, ” he said. “ A little repressed. ”
    Brody nodded. That fit. Feature for feature, Mallory was one of the most beautiful women he ’ d ever seen, though she ’ d seemed determined to disguise the fact with glasses and baggy clothes. That prim little French braid of hers had driven him crazy. He ’ d kept wondering how she would look with all that pale hair loose on her shoulders, her bare shoulders.
    And those eyes. Behind her glasses, Mallory Scott had the clearest, bluest eyes he ’ d ever seen, haunting eyes that seemed to see right down inside him. A little repressed? Maybe. But he ’ d be willing to bet there was heat beneath that cool exterior.
    Kyle frowned. “ Mallory clams up completely around most males, though she ’ s never been that way with me. ”
    “ Let me guess. You don ’ t threaten her because you ’ re gay. ” He nodded. “ And you figured if she knew I was