Her Fictional Fling: Scandals in Scotland Contemporary Romance Series Book 1 by Jo Summers Read Free Book Online Page B

a look that dared her to argue with him.
    “On the contrary. I’m an excellent liar,” she countered, sitting up in the bed and jutting out her chin, as droplets from her wet hair sprinkled her shoulders. “I lie for a living.” Instinctively, she grabbed at the pillow behind her and used it to cover what she could. Colin watched her closely, with an expression she couldn’t quite read. Surprisingly, she was getting a bit more adapted to having his eyes on her, and it was gradually becoming slightly less uncomfortable.
    She was starting to like it, actually, an awareness that in equal parts alarmed and exhilarated her. She would do well to remind herself that he had no real interest in her, and no lasting connection could be made. This was a classic one-night stand—or, well, it almost had been.
    “I suppose that’s true,” he said. “But books are not the same as real life.”
    “Sometimes I wish they were,” she said, leaning back against the headboard.
    “And why is that?”
    “I would think that’s obvious. In books, well, at least the books that I write, the heroine would never make such a mess of a one-night stand as I have of this one.” Andi rolled her eyes to lighten the mood and Colin laughed, showing a smile fit for magazine covers. God, he was gorgeous. His slight ruggedness, his too-long hair, and how down-to-earth he seemed despite his apparent fame, made him more appealing to Andi than he would be if he fit a more classically perfect description.
    Jared had been perfect on paper. At social functions, he’d been the textbook gentleman, and everyone had loved him—everyone who didn’t truly know him, that is. None of that stuff mattered to her now. She knew enough from her past mistakes to distrust perfect .
    She really did wish she could be more like one of the brave female characters in her books. She gave them everything she didn’t have in real life—guts, smooth one-liners, and incredible men. She knew it was only fiction, created to allow women like herself to escape from the mundane and unpleasant aspects of everyday life, but still, it would be nice if, from time to time, her own life looked a little more like the pages of her stories.
    Her heroine, Astrid, would never have allowed a chance with Bjorn to go the way Andi’s evening had; Astrid would have let loose and given herself over to Bjorn’s capable work-roughened Viking hands. Andi was fairly certain Colin’s hands were equally capable. Too bad that now she would never know. Her stomach roiled, full of regret.
    “I’m hungry, too,” Colin said, and before Andi could explain the rumbling he’d heard, he moved to the hallway and started gathering the clothes he’d shed before. “I’m heading out to grab us something to eat.” He returned to the room and began pulling on his jeans. “Any preferences?”
    “I don’t know much about Scottish food,” she said, feeling guilty already at the knowledge that she wasn’t about to let him feed her after all he had already done for her, with nothing in return. “Although I’ve heard some scary things.” She made a face, causing Colin’s lips to turn up at the corners in a way that made her squirm inside. “Particularly regarding haggis.”
    “Duly noted,” he answered, his British accent melting her for the thousandth time that night. Andi lamented the disappearance of his backside into the jeans. Chances were very, very slim that she’d ever have the unique pleasure of seeing it again, unless he chose to grace the world with it in one of his movies. She released a heavy sigh.
    Colin picked up his now wrinkled shirt and tugged it on. There went another nice view.
    It was then that Andi realized she was still naked, with only a pillow to cover what it could. As soon as he left the room, she’d get dressed and leave with as much dignity as she could salvage.
    “Alright then,” he said, “help yourself to anything you need.” He pointed a finger at her. “I’ll