Speed Mating - A Midnight Liaisons Novella Read Online Free PDF Page B

her prospects? A misogynistic narcissist, a possibly sterile asshole, and a pothead with the last name of Janitor?
    Three men and she didn't want any of them. Estrella didn't think the day could get any more depressing.
     
    ~~ * ~~
     
    To be fair - and because she didn't have any other options - she gave them the weekend. Against her better judgment, she went out on dates with all three and tried to make the best of things. After all, she didn't have to marry the guy, right? He just had to get her pregnant.
    Even after her date, she couldn't stand Nelson. He was polite enough , and he held doors open for her and acted like a gentleman. He was also controlling and a bit too old fashioned for her taste. They'd gone to a restaurant - his pick, since her pick wasn't 'any good' according to him. Once there, he'd promptly ordered for her before she'd had a chance to look at the menu, and when she'd tried to order a cocktail, he'd told her that he didn't find it appropriate for ladies to drink in public.
    Of course, when she'd snarled at him, he'd changed his tune.
    Montgomery was not much better. They'd gone out to a restaurant; the exact same one that Nelson had taken her to. Once there, Montgomery had grilled her about his brother. Had she liked Nelson? Had he purchased her dinner or had they gone dutch? Did she think his brother was the better-looking one? Everything seemed to be a competition between the two of them, and that was a major turnoff for her. She just imagined trying to sleep with the man. He'd probably quiz her on his technique and ask her who her best had been. Nor did she want to subject her future child to a lifetime of his father's competitiveness.
    Cory had taken her to a bowling alley , and they'd played a few games while chatting. To her surprise, she genuinely liked Cory. He was nice, low-key, and easygoing. He was also a pothead who lived in his parents' basement, but she supposed she couldn't have everything.
    Too bad his last name was Janitor.
    Cory was nice enough, but just because he was the lesser of three evils didn't mean that she wanted to have his baby. After the bowling date, she headed back to her apartment -- alone -- and stared at her phone, debating. After a moment, she sighed.
    In desperation, she called the dating agency one more time.
    In what seemed to be par for the course, she got Ryder's voicemail. "Hi there! You've reached the desk of Ryder St. James," a perky voice chirped. "I'm unavailable to take your call at the moment, but leave me a message and your account number and I'll call you back as soon as possible. Have a super day!"
    "Hey, um, Ryder? I don't remember my account number, but this is Estrella Townsend. The liger that's about to go into heat. I'm guessing you don't have many of those at the agency so I'm hoping you'll remember who I am. Anyhow, I wanted to say that I didn't mark down anyone on my card at the speed mating the other night, but..." She sighed, hating herself for even bringing it up. "But I was wondering if anyone marked me down. If so, can you let me know? I'm willing to reconsider dating anyone who put me down. Anyhow, call me back." Estrella rattled her number off and then hung up, hating that she'd had to stoop to this.
    Pickings were definitely slim and getting slimmer all the time. Maybe she needed to make a list of attributes she was looking for in a man, and then she could narrow down her (rather sparse) selection. After all, she could always go turkey baster and raid a sperm bank or something, she supposed, but that wouldn't help with her heat much. She needed to have sex, period.
    Her apartment was too warm. Fanning herself with a notebook, Estrella opened all the windows, letting the icy winter air breeze in. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Maybe she could make her list while having a nice, relaxing, chilly soak in the tub to bring her internal temperature down a bit.
    Estrella undressed and filled the tub, adding some bubble bath. She gave a soft