The Boyfriend List by R.S. Novelle, Renee Novelle Read Free Book Online

“Damn Ian, what’d you do
over spring break? Something’s definitely different.”
    Ian chuckled in response,
the kind of modest laughter that was a half-hearted attempt to deflect the
attention, and glanced down at the floor. Had it not been for the quick flush
of red Reagan noted in his cheeks, it could’ve been argued his modesty was only
an act, but she knew him better than that. He was about as real as they came. Then
she caught from the corner of her eye the knowing look that Petra was sending
her, and blushed a little herself. “Looks like I don’t have to worry about you
after all.” Her friend announced with a wink.
    Turning back to Ian,
Petra pat him solidly in the center of his shredded abs, her hand lingering
just a little longer than necessary over the appealing ripples. “Take care of
her for me.” Her plea was dramatic, but she quickly slipped behind Ian’s back
and gave her friend an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Reagan couldn’t help the giggle
that escaped.
    “What do you mean?” At
first, he was looking quizzically between the two girls. But one thorough,
analyzing look at Reagan - who was giving him a pleasant, drunken smile and
raising her glass to toast the newcomer - and he was beginning to understand
exactly what Petra had implied. He hadn’t seen Reagan that hammered since her
last break-up.
    “You’ll see.” She called
as she strode down the hallway. “Have fun!”
    “Guess it’s just us
then.” His shrug was casual enough, but had Reagan not been quite so absorbed
in her own little drunken world, she might have noticed the quick flash of
excitement that filled his face at the idea. “Dinner date?” He indicated the
box with the question.
    Unfortunately for her,
she was completely absorbed in her
own little drunken world, so the only thing she noticed was the pizza box
practically hovering in the hall in front of her.
      “You’re a god!” She exclaimed as she
rushed to him, rose high on her toes and flung her arms around his neck in an
uncharacteristically uninhibited moment. Tequila does that to a girl, she
decided.
    Her cheek brushed subtly
against his, and as their bare skin touched, an electric current ran through
her body, breaking through her intoxicated fog. For just a second, she was
awake, and very much aware that she was settling against the warm nape of his
neck in her embrace. Breathing deeply, she pulled in a scent that was
distinctively not pizza – something
spicy and sweet with just the right measure of woodsy thrown in. Whatever it
was and wherever he’d found it, she praised the aftershave gods for creating
it. It had every cell of her body – every single one – standing on alert, waiting in high anticipation.
    “So I’ve been told.” The
soft rumbling of the chuckle that followed was like a vibration running through
his chest, and it was just enough to noticeably quicken her breath.
    In a moment of clarity,
Reagan vowed never to drink again and shook herself from the enchantment that
was Ian, from the spell she was beginning to fall into. In an effort to free
herself of the embrace she’d forced on him, she took a step back, but stumbled
over the entanglement of her own feet. In a juggling act worthy of the stage,
Ian managed to balance the pizza box while wrapping his arm tightly around her
waist, and catching her weight before she fell to the ground. With a little
squeeze, he drew her effortlessly back into his chest. His eyes lingered on
hers, the intensity building with every second that passed, until she was
forced to look up at him. And when she finally did, he held her gaze steady for
far longer than either had intended.
    But the moment had passed
as quickly and unexpectedly as it had begun. As though they’d both suddenly
become aware of themselves, they released each other simultaneously and took a
determined step back, though it did little to resolve the initial awkwardness
that they tried to cover behind forced smiles.
    “Come in?”