Page 33 of The Stand-In Boyfriend

“Why him?”

“‘Cause he’s a badass?”

“He’s just a big boy playing with his toys.”

“Toys heinvents. He’s smart.”

“And I’m sure the fact that he’s a rich playboy doesn’t hurt, either.”

“Jessica Bryant, do you want to tell me you have something against my favorite superhero?” I mock gasp.

“Ehh…” She frowns, lines appearing between her brows.

I press my hand against my chest, pulling her along. “You wound me.”

It’s only then that she realizes that I’ve been holding her hand all along. She tries to pull it away, but I don’t let her.

“Noah.” Jessy looks down at our hands, and then slowly peeks back at me through her eyelashes. They’re dark and long, surrounding her almond-shaped brown eyes.

My grip on her hand tightens slightly, pulling her closer. Those doe-like eyes fall to my mouth, and then look back at me. Her tongue peeks out, wetting her pink lips, and I can barely hold in my groan.

We’ve been sitting in the car for the past hour. The small space filled with her fragrance was driving me insane, and now this?

A strand of her straight hair slips out from behind her ear and caresses her cheek. With my free hand I reach forward and brush it back in place, the tips of my fingers grazing against her soft cheek.

“Who’s the one blushing now?” I ask teasingly.

“I—”

“Shh…” I press my finger against her lips, stopping whatever she planned to say.

I look down at her mouth, and then back into her eyes, trying to see what she wants. I know what I want, that’s not even a question, but what about her?

Does she want to kiss me as badly as I need to kiss her?

Can she feel this…somethingshifting between the two of us?

Leaning down, I watch for any change in her. My heart is beating frantically against my ribcage, working twice its normal speed.

I’m so close I can see faint freckles scattered over her cheekbones, feel that intoxicating scent of hers that’s been all I could think about lately.

“Jessy,” I whisper, looking, waiting for something. Our mouths so close our lips are brushing together.

Bang. Bang.

The knock on the glass breaks the spell around us. Jessy jumps back like I burned her.

Groaning in frustration, I turn around to find none other than Elliott looking at us through the closed windows and waving like the idiot he is.

I’m going to kill him.

Chapter Thirteen

JESSICA

I lift my gaze from the book that’s in front of me and catch sight of Noah quietly laughing at something one of his football buddies said. They’re huddled together a few desks away from ours and seem like they’re having more fun than what’s appropriate for this gloomy place.

As if he can feel my gaze, his eyes lift and find mine. His smile widens like he’s actually happy to find me watching him. His friend says something that has Noah shoving him away, without breaking eye contact with me. Then he does something unexpected. He winks at me.

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