Page 39 of The Stand-In Boyfriend

Me: As long as you promise there’ll be no funny business.

Evie: JESSY!

Evie: What the hell!

Me: Just calling it as I see it.

The doorbell rings, making me freeze for a moment. My body is immobile, but my heart is going into overdrive, beating furiously against my ribcage.

Me: He’s here.

Evie: Go open!!!

Me: Right.

Evie: *squeal*

Evie: I’ll see you there, hot stuff!

Shaking my head at her, I throw my phone on the bed and give myself one final look in the mirror. Smoothing out the hem of my skirt, I take one deep breath.

“You can do this, Jessy. You can do this.”

Things have been better this week, or so it seems. People were still talking, but true to Noah’s words they were talking about us, speculating all kinds of things, but they didn’t bring Jack into the mix or mention our messy breakup.

I walk through my quiet home as the doorbell rings once more. For some strange reason my heart flutters in my chest, but I shoot the irritating feeling down, making sure to school my expression before pulling the door open and coming face to face with my fake boyfriend.

Not that it helps much, because he looks good. Damn good. His hair is styled neatly and he’s wearing jeans and a light gray polo shirt that brings out the gray in his irises.

Shifting from leg to leg, he looks at the empty space behind me before his gaze finally settles on me.

He does a double-take, his eyes slowly taking me in from head to toe. I see his throat bob as he swallows, his tongue peeking out to slide over his lower lip.

“You look…”

I raise my brow, waiting.

Noah just shakes his head. “Beautiful.”

I can feel the color creep into my cheeks, and I’m grateful the room is dim so hopefully he can’t see it. “Thanks, you clean up nice too.”

Another sweep of the space. “Ready to go?”

Knowing Mom would be working late, I texted him earlier to pick me up at my place.

“Just let me grab my stuff, I’ll be a second.”

* * *

NOAH

I look after Jessy as she goes to the back of the house, her hips swaying seductively with every step she takes. The material of her skirt caresses her smooth, lean legs, teasing me.

I rub my hands over my face.

This will be one long fucking night.

While I wait for her I look around the small house. I was surprised when she told me to pick her up, ringing the doorbell and all that, but I didn’t want to make more of it than it was. Now I understood why she said it.

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