Entice by Ella Frank Read Free Book Online

bottle, Josh interjected, “That woman is hotter than hell, but I’m not touching her. She’ll burn me to a crisp.”
    Lena’s eyes widened, and then she smiled slowly.
    Josh shook his head. “No.”
    “Oh, come on, just dance with her. That’s all.”
    Rolling his eyes, Josh looked at Mason for help.
    His friend shrugged. “Don’t look at me. You’re on your own.”
    Josh saw Lena smiling with her bottom lip caught between her teeth, looking so adorable he knew he was about to cave.
    “Do you ever win an argument, Mason?”
    “Only when she’s close by, and I can shut her up.”
    Whacking him again, Lena protested, “Hey!”
    Rubbing his chest, Mason grinned down and leaned in, whispering against her mouth, “With kisses.”
    “No other way with a hot woman,” Josh replied softly as he turned and made his way back to the bar.
    ***
    Shelly was starting to think that reconnecting with Paul had been a terrible mistake.
    He was sitting beside her drinking water. Water in a bar . He was asking her how her day was when she really just wanted to dance. She wanted to lose herself in the music and forget about her long day—not rehash it.
    She felt slightly guilty, too, because she knew she was being overly judgmental with Paul this evening. But, in all fairness, she had dated him before, and on those dates, she’d given him the benefit of the doubt.Now, she knew it didn’t get better than this. Why did I call him back? Because I’m a lonely and confused moron apparently.
    She turned to look at Paul, and that’s when she saw Josh take the seat on the other side of her date. And that right there is another reason why I had called Paul. She’d known that tonight had been a not-so-subtle way for Lena to try and set her and Josh up. Really, the idea was extremely appealing to all of her bad decision-making neurons. The good decision-making neurons were trying in vain to push her to Paul, who had now turned and was asking Josh what he did for a living.
    Not wanting to listen to “work” talk, she turned and saw Lena walking toward her, dressed as she had been many months ago when she’d been trying to seduce Mason. Judging by the death stares he was shooting at everyone glancing in Lena’s direction, he planned to put a big “do not touch” sign on Lena. And, the grip he had on her said that later he’d let her seduce the hell out of him.
    Sighing, Shelly smiled when they got to her, noticing Lena’s eyes stray to the back of Paul’s head.
    Mason grinned like a bad schoolboy, and then asked loudly, “So, Shelly, who’s your boyfriend?”
    Glaring daggers at him, she grimaced as Paul turned, and then she forced a smile as she introduced Paul to her closest friends. “Mason and Lena, this is Paul. A friend of mine.” So she happened to stress friend a little more than she probably should have, but she wanted it to be clear.
    Mason released his grip on Lena and held his hand out for Paul to take. Standing, Paul shook it as Mason shouted over the music, “Nice to meet you, man. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
    Paul turned to Shelly with a questioning look, and she just grinned at him, watching as he turned back and told Mason he hoped it was all good. She almost died when Mason replied.
    “Oh, yes, Shelly told me you’re nothing but respectful and treat her like she’s very special .”
    Shelly heard a chuckle from down the bar and turned to see Josh’s eyes on her as he tried unsuccessfully to conceal his laughter. Raising a brow at him, she tipped her chin up and watched as he lifted his beer to take a sip. His throat mesmerized her as he swallowed, and she felt her thighs twitch.
    Stop looking at him , she ordered herself.
    Turning back to the three in front of her, she was about to stand up and ask Paul to dance when Rachel bounced out of the crowd and over to them.
    “Come on, Paul! You look like you could use some fun! Come dance with me.”
    Paul looked over his shoulder to her, and Shelly