With him, I was no longer myself.
I was something wild,
with no inhibitions.
Daphne Bird has spent the past few years staying away from relationships, and she has never been with a man who she can't forget completely as soon as he's out the door.
Until Jason Wild.
* * *
He comes into her life just when she swears off meaningless hookups.
He is her new roommate's brother.
He is the sexiest thing she’s ever seen.
He is the first man she can't get out of her mind.
* * *
And maybe just the first one who will not walk away.
Chapter One
“Daphne, how about this one?”
I looked up from where I was curled up on the couch. Amy had struck a pose and was waiting for my opinion on the third dress she’d tried on in less than thirty minutes. I had been trying to reread my copy of North and South, but my roommate was determined to keep coming between me and John Thornton.
She did look good though. Her blonde hair fell around her face in messy curls, and the short blue dress was perfect for her tiny frame. I nodded approvingly. “It’s sexy, and I like the color—and the bare shoulder.” I gave her a thumbs-up. “He won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
“What if it’s too…out there? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.”
She looked genuinely worried, and it was a cute look on her. Everything was a cute look on her, actually. She was just effortlessly cute and charming.
“What? Of course not.” I closed my book, saying a silent goodbye to Mr. Thornton, at least until Amy made a decision. “You look great, perfect for a first date.”
“It’s kinda not really the first date. We already went out for drinks once, but I went straight over to the bar from a shoot and didn’t get a chance to dress up, sooo…it doesn’t count as a date.” She sighed. “I’m rambling so much I’m incoherent.”
“So what? You like him! You’re a little nervous. It’s a good thing—exciting, really—and you look great. He’s going to be staring at you all night if he has any taste.”
“Aww.” She smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I said graciously. I liked Amy. I’d lived on my own for a while, but when my lease expired, I had decided to find a new place closer to work. I hadn’t really been looking for a roommate, but somehow, I’d fallen in love with the spacious two-bedroom apartment and the well-managed building. Now, I was glad I’d taken it, because Amy was growing on me too.
“I’m going to put on some makeup,” she said. “You’re right, I really like him…that’s why I’m so nervous. Sometimes I wish I could be like you—calm, collected, unbothered about men, dating…the whole thing.”
I shrugged. “I’m not unbothered. I’ve been attracted to loads of people, I just don’t get emotional about my need to have sex with someone I find attractive.”
“See what I mean? Unbothered. It’s so cool.” She sighed. “I’d better go do my makeup.”
She returned to her room and I picked up my book, though I hesitated to open it again. Yes, I was unbothered about relationships. I’d never gotten nervous over a guy. I liked sex, and I’d never been hesitant to pursue it with a guy I found attractive. I just never dressed it up in all the emotional ribbons people liked to tie themselves up with.
It had been enough—until recently. Now, I was on a break from guys, sex, the whole shebang. It was my way of taking a step back to evaluate myself and determine how I wanted to manage relationships going forward.
The sound of birds chirping filled the house—Amy’s quirky doorbell. So, he was here. I was mildly interested in meeting the guy who had filled Amy’s stomach with enough butterflies to make her a nervous wreck. I wasn’t into real-life love, but I had a thing for love stories and happy endings in romance novels and other people’s lives, just not in mine. It was the strangest thing.
I got up from the couch and headed to the door. “He’s here!” I yelled in the direction of Amy’s room before looking through the peephole.
Okay. Through the distorted lens view, I could see that he was crazy gorgeous. No wonder Amy couldn’t pick a dress.
I opened the door and had to stop for a moment to catch my breath.
Wow!
First, he was tall—sexy tall—and his broad shoulders made his sweater look like an advertisement for sex. Then there was his wide, perfectly muscled chest and long legs in perfectly fitting jeans.
His face was the final straw, high cheekbones, stormy grey-green eyes, and the most sensuous lips I’d ever seen, topped by thick black hair that was cut short at the back but deliciously wavy in front.