Dashing: A Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Unleashed Romance, Book 2) Read online

  Her eyes light up. “Really?” She throws her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek. Warmth rushes through me. “Thank you! I swear I’ll return the favor somehow.”

  I let out a breath, relieved I don’t have to think about Eli touching her. Not that I’m going to make a move. I’m her revenge date. Fiancé. Sweat runs down my spine.

  This is all pretend. No commitment necessary.

  Wyatt calls out to her.

  She holds up a finger for him to wait and beams at me, her plump pouty lips spreading wide. She can’t help having pouty lips. “Thanks again for you know what. We’ll keep it a secret between us.” She winks with a dazzling smile.

  My gut tightens, the blood rushing through my veins. I ignore the inconvenient lust. Obviously, it’s been too long for me. I care too much about her to get involved, ultimately hurting her because I can’t give her what she wants, a serious relationship. And Wyatt warned me off for just that reason. Don’t mess with his sister, with the implications being—family tension, losing all the work referrals he sends my way. It’s personal and professional suicide. I’m not screwing things up with him.

  I’m just doing her a favor so she can save face in front of her ex. That’s all. It’s a friend thing.

  2

  Kayla

  Here I am with my fake fiancé, la la la. Take that, Rob, you weasel! Adam looks good too. Well, he always looks good—tall, lean with muscle, short brown hair with a scruffy jaw—but he looks especially good today. His white T-shirt shows off his tan, along with the cut of his biceps and corded muscular forearms. This is not a man who sits behind a computer all day. He works those muscles. His faded jeans fit his form deliciously. I’m sure any woman would agree his ass looks fine in those jeans. I’ve spent a decent amount of time admiring his muscular body from the back. Mostly because when I talked to him at Wyatt’s house, Adam would be busy working while I stood behind him, chatting him up. That’s how we became friends.

  Just because I admire his booty doesn’t mean I’m crossing the line. I’m not ready for a relationship after getting jilted at the altar. But I feel good when I’m around him, all warm and glowy. Adam is the kind of guy who keeps his word. When he said he’d be at Wyatt’s house at eight a.m. the next day for work, he always showed up right on time. And today he picked me up exactly when he said he would. It means something when a person keeps their word.

  “You doing okay?” he asks me for the third time.

  We’ve been here for an hour and already made the rounds, talking to everyone. Rob’s not here yet. I can’t leave until he sees me with Adam.

  I nod. “Are you okay?”

  “Course. Don’t worry about me.”

  I know parties aren’t his scene. He’s quiet and reserved, content to be with a small gathering or alone, but he warmed up with me right away. I like to think it’s my friendly personality, but it was most likely sympathy for my devastated state post-altar dumping. At the time I felt compelled to share my woes. Rob and I dated two months, where he showered me with compliments, flowers, cards with mushy stuff written inside, the works. He proposed at our favorite restaurant, eager to make it official. We planned to elope at that very same restaurant on New Year’s Eve. And then he got cold feet at the last minute while I stood there waiting in my beautiful wedding gown. Or so he said. I suspect the only reason he proposed was because I told him I was saving myself for marriage. Weasel!

  “Not too much longer,” I tell Adam.

  He glances at my empty red plastic cup. “You want more wine?”

  He’s very attentive as a fake fiancé, which I appreciate. “Could you get me a bottled water instead?”

  He takes my cup and walks off. A man of action and few words.

  I glance around, looking for Rob. Not here yet. I can’t wait around forever. This is an imposition on Adam, and he doesn’t like to leave his English bulldog, Tank, alone too long either. Sometimes he has a neighbor go in and check on Tank if he has to be away for work out of town. Maybe that’s how I can return the enormous favor he’s doing for me today. I’ll check in on Tank and give him cuddle time. I’ll mention it on the way home.

  Adam returns and hands me a bottled water.

  “Thanks.”

  He jerks his chin at me. That’s Adam for you’re welcome, no problem. I’m good at filling in the blanks where Adam’s concerned. For example, he hasn’t mentioned I look nice in my outfit—light yellow blouse with a matching fluffy mini skirt—but he swallowed audibly when his gaze trailed down my bare legs. That’s Adam for great outfit to make your ex jealous, but I’m too polite as your guy friend to mention it.

  “Let’s get something to eat,” I say, heading for the long table of food. We help ourselves to burgers. I add potato salad to my plate, and Adam goes for the potato chips.

  We eat standing together near the end of the table in companionable silence. I’m so annoyed that Rob is late, but what did I expect? He’s always late, and you can’t trust him to keep his commitments. Obviously, since he rushed me into an elopement, only to leave a message—not with me but with the restaurant owner—that he wouldn’t be going through with it. It was his idea!

  I take a ferocious bite of potato salad. At least Adam has been wonderful as my trusty companion here today. And it’s easy to brag about him to everyone. He’s a true craftsman, and you don’t see work like his every day. He can do interesting modern designs for tables and end pieces with splayed legs, classic designs with intricately scrolled trim, and build just about any kind of furniture you can imagine, along with cabinetry and built-ins. He can even restore historic oak plank flooring so you can’t tell it was ever touched. I’ve been showing off his online portfolio to everyone.

  Only problem is, Adam’s terrible at acting like we’re a couple. He hasn’t touched me at all. I should’ve given him some instructions. I bet he’s new at the fake-fiancé thing. So am I, but at least I know we should be holding hands and/or putting an arm casually around each other. So far, I had to grab his hand every time I introduced him to someone.

  Once we finish our dinner, Adam walks off with our paper plates to toss them in the garbage, leaving me alone just as Rob approaches. Crap. I can’t run to Adam or it’ll look like I’m avoiding Rob. I need to play it cool. Look at Rob wearing an Always Summer T-shirt from the online role-playing game where we met. After meeting online, we discovered we went to the same university. He’s getting a PhD in statistics. Clueless man reminding me of our history with that shirt. Does he think we’ll pick up where we left off? No way in hell.

  I gesture to Adam to join me in what I hope is a nonfrantic way. He speeds up, sensing I need him. Finally, Adam reaches me a second before Rob.

  Rob halts, looking surprised to see me with Adam. I can’t let there be any question about Adam’s relationship to me. I subtly take his hand and hold it behind my back so it looks like his arm is around me. I’m even wearing my sister Paige’s old engagement ring for authenticity, a round diamond on a gold band. Her ex left for work overseas after they broke up, so she just put the ring in a drawer, figuring she’d pawn it one day. Luckily for me, it was still available.

  I had a week to prepare for this event, and now that it’s finally here, my heart is jackrabbiting against my rib cage. My ex looks the same as I remember—brown hair neatly parted to the side, pasty white skin, no muscle tone anywhere. I can’t help but notice the contrast to the man I’m forcing to put an arm around me. Honestly, Rob is the brainy type I’ve always been drawn to.

  “Hello,” I say.

  “Hi, Kayla,” Rob says. “Long time no see.”

  Gee, I wonder why. Weasel!

  “Yes,” I say tightly. “It’s been a while since you never showed up at our wedding. Fortunately, I’ve moved on.” I gaze adoringly up at Adam.

  Rob holds his hand out to Adam. “Hi, I’m Rob.”

  Adam ignores his hand. “I guess I should thank you for not following through with Kayla. Otherwise, we never would’v
e connected.”

  I beam. “We’re engaged.” I hold up my ring hand.

  “That was quick,” Rob says, eying Adam speculatively. “I guess she told you her rule.”

  My cheeks flame. He’s talking about my no-sex-until-marriage rule to imply Adam only wants me for that. Double slime rat weasel!

  Adam turns to me, a question in his brown eyes. Mortification sets in, and then it gets worse.

  Rob continues in a confidential tone to Adam. “Hope it’s the real deal. Don’t be like me, man. No hookup is worth being chained for life.”

  I suck in air. I suspected my V-card was the whole reason Rob rushed me to the altar, but to hear him say it out loud, and in front of Adam, is so much worse.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Adam barks at Rob.

  Conversation quiets, and people gather closer.

  My pulse races, every muscle tensing. “I’ll explain later,” I say to Adam under my breath.

  Rob shrugs. “That’s the whole reason I proposed. I got tired of waiting for her to give it up.”

  Adam moves fast, grabbing Rob by the shirt collar and hauling him up close. “Apologize to her. Now.”

  Rob pales, his eyes rolling toward me. “I’m sorry! I was just being honest.”

  Adam shoves him away. “Not good enough. A real apology.”

  “I only did the logical thing,” Rob whines.

  Adam draws back a fist, but I grab his arm, whispering, “Please don’t make a scene.” I can’t even bear to look at the quiet witnesses around us.

  He turns back to Rob. “You never talk to her. You don’t even look at her again. Now get out of here before I kick your ass.”

  Rob hesitates, looking around him for backup. Adam charges forward, and Rob jumps, turns tail, and runs straight out of the yard to the street.

  Conversation resumes in quiet murmurs.

  I turn to Adam, his jaw tight, hands still in fists. I never knew he could be so protective. He’s like a real-life knight in shining armor. Warmth steals through me.

  I nudge his arm with my shoulder. “Thank you.”

  His eyes meet mine, his voice fierce. “He’s so far beneath you. I hate that you were with someone like that.”

  A rush of affection has me giving him a sideways hug. His arm settles around my shoulders. Despite the fact I just experienced the second most humiliating moment of my life (the first being left at the altar), I feel almost giddy. Adam came through for me in the most amazing way.

  I look up at him. “You’re awesome.”

  “You okay?” he asks, still looking pissed off.

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “You want to get out of here?”

  “In a bit. I don’t want it to be obvious I’m leaving because of him. Let’s have a drink and mingle.”

  “Water?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He walks over to the cooler by the patio for two more bottled waters. I glance around for the first time, but it seems everyone’s gone back to normal conversation now that the possibility of a fistfight is gone.

  I can’t believe I was so blissfully ignorant of Rob’s true intentions back when we were together. I truly thought he loved me. What if every guy sees me that way? I’ll be thinking it’s the real deal, they’ll propose, and then they’ll dump me at the last possible moment, not really wanting marriage so much as sex. My virginity was never meant to be bait.

  Adam walks toward me with his relaxed easy stride. My stomach flutters unexpectedly, and I find myself smiling.

  He hands me a bottled water. “What’re you smiling about? I thought you’d be upset.”

  “My upset is countered by having a great friend like you.”

  He studies me for a moment, searching my expression. Whatever he sees there must put him at ease because he opens his water and takes a long drink. My gaze is drawn to his Adam’s apple as it moves up and down his manly throat, and then to the cord of his neck, and up to the dark scruff on his square jaw. My breath quickens at his sexy good looks. Of course I always knew he was handsome, but this is somehow different. Every nerve ending tingles in awareness.

  He leans down to my ear, his voice a deep rumble that sends a delicious shiver through me. “Think people bought the engagement?”

  Our gazes collide up close, the air buzzing between us.

  My mouth goes dry. “Yeah,” I croak.

  He inclines his head. “Good.”

  “Yeah, good,” I echo.

  Two women from my master’s degree program walk over to chat, Julia and Yvette, exclaiming over my engagement ring and peppering me with questions about the proposal and how long we’ve been dating. They’re both brunettes, single and down-to-earth like me. It’s easy enough to talk about how Adam and I met while he was on the job at my brother’s house. I brag about his great skill as a carpenter, showing off his work online while I scramble to think up a good proposal story.

  “You’re very talented,” Julia says to Adam. “So how did you propose? Was it a big romantic gesture?”

  “So romantic,” I answer for him.

  Adam nods but doesn’t add to the story.

  I jump in with the part I’d really like in my ideal proposal scenario. “He went down on one knee and just spoke from the heart. It was everything.”

  Julia and Yvette exchange a pleased look and turn back to me, smiling.

  “So brave of you after you-know-who,” Yvette whispers. “I never liked him.”

  “Opening your heart is always an act of bravery,” I say. “How else can you let love in?” I turn to Adam for his agreement, but his expression is shuttered closed. Guess he’s not comfortable with love talk in front of other people, even if it is pretend. I turn back to my friends. “I’m with the right person now, and that makes all the difference.”

  Talk quickly moves to what’s on all of our minds now that we’ve finished our master’s degrees in biostatistics—the job search. Adam stands by, listening quietly. When I finish my water, he takes my empty bottle to recycle without a word.

  The moment he walks away, Julia says in an exaggerated upper-class tone, “He’s quite dashing.”

  Yvette nods.

  I smile. “He is.” I sound a little dreamy. Well, that’s okay, I’m supposed to be engaged to him.

  As soon as Adam returns to my side, my friends hug me and say goodbye. They’re heading back to the city after this. I’m ready to go now too.

  “You have to get back to Tank,” I tell Adam. “I’m just going to say goodbye to Professor Kurtz, and we’ll be on our way.”

  “Sure.”

  I make my way through the mingling people in search of Professor Kurtz. I did what I came here to do, but there’s one thing that’s gnawing at me. Rob admitting he proposed just to get in my pants was a lightbulb moment. I need to deal with the giant pink V stamped on my forehead (or is it stamped somewhere lower?). Either way, taking Mom’s advice to heart to wait for marriage was a giant mistake that will only get more difficult to explain to guys the older I get.

  I’m twenty-five, for crying out loud! This is getting embarrassing. Is it my fault I’ve never met a man who tempted me enough to break my rule? Not even Rob. And what does that say about me that I was willing to marry a man I felt warmly toward but not passionate about? Truth is, of all the guys I’ve dated over the years, several were legit good kissers, but I never once felt carried away enough to cross the line. Is it possible I dated guys I wasn’t super attracted to as an easy way to stick to my rule?

  A real and disturbing possibility.

  Clearly, I’m missing some vital knowledge for unlocking passion. Or maybe it’s that I never trusted a guy to go below the waistline and stop if I needed him to. Maybe passion is only unlocked under the belly button. Huh.

  I glance up at Adam, and a jolt of a new kind of awareness goes through me. Primal man-woman potential. Excitement with a chaser of nerves runs through my body, making me feel alive and aware and…sexual. He’s hand
some, kind, a protective sort. I feel safe with him. Hmm…

  I spot Professor Kurtz and thank her for the party, giving her a hug goodbye. She’s a brilliant woman in her forties with blond hair and glasses. She makes full-time academia and being a mom to two daughters look easy.

  “Kayla, it’s been a pleasure. I’m going to email you a contact I have at Noon Pharmaceuticals in Indiana. Maybe they’ll have something that’s right for you.” She knows I’m on the job hunt.

  “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

  “Of course. And put me down for a reference everywhere you apply.” She holds out a hand to Adam. “Nice to meet you, Adam. Hopefully I’ll get an invite to your wedding. Kayla’s special to me. A brilliant and curious mind.”

  Aww. “Definitely,” I say.

  Adam shakes her hand and grumbles something unintelligible. He’s new at this.

  I grab his hand, giving it a squeeze, and then we walk back to the street, where Adam parked his black Mazda.

  The moment we’re back in his car, I let out a breath of relief. “Mission accomplished. And even though Rob was a total ass, it only makes it easier for me to move on. Obviously, he’s not worth another moment’s thought.”

  “I still wish I could’ve gotten one good punch in.”

  I meet his fierce gaze, my protector. “What you did was plenty. I left the party with my head held high, and all people will remember was that Rob was an ass who ran off with his tail between his legs.”

  He turns on the car, blasts the air conditioner, and drives off at a nice slow acceleration. He’s got such a patient quiet way about him. I bet he’d be patient with my inexperience too. A teacher of sorts, unlocking what I’ve been missing out on—passion. Just the idea of his big muscular body pressing against mine makes my breath quicken, my pulse race, and my entire body flush with heat. I’m onto something here. When we danced at Wyatt’s wedding last week, there was definitely heat between us. Potential for more in a casual way? I know I’m not ready to seriously date, and when we first met and I spilled my woes to him, Adam commented that my devastation is the exact reason he avoids relationships. This could be perfect.