Read Online Going for Broke: Oakland Hills Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Friends with Benefits) by Gretchen Galway, Lucy Riot - Free Book Online
Authors: Gretchen Galway, Lucy Riot
Ads: Link
being close to Ian Cooper felt good, as good as being close to any man could feel—which was pretty damn great. He was tall and well built, and even his sweat smelled tasty.
When she realized he was staring at her mouth, her knees weakened, pushing him closer to her. When he began to lower his head, her lips parted involuntarily. She told herself it was only because she needed some air.
Slowly, so slowly, he moved closer. Mesmerized, she watched the flick of his tongue over his lips. Her own thoughts were scattered, unsteady, elusive.
And then he drew back, frowning, and let out his breath. Like a bubble bursting, the strange, nervous tension broke and disappeared. He patted the sides of her arms where he’d been holding her, roughly, like a quarterback with his defensive lineman, and rolled his eyes.
“I must be losing my mind,” he said. “God, I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”
She did feel as if she’d been run over by a horse trailer, but she didn’t think that’s what he meant. “What’s the matter with you?”
Her question came out more hostile than she’d intended, but he’d upset her.
“I—I—” He looked away, his scowl deepening. “I didn’t realize how upset I was about—about—business. Last night. Lost a lot of money. Didn’t expect it.”
This was about work ? She’d known him for a long time. He’d never seemed to let his business bother him before. It was always a game, always fun, or at least intellectually fulfilling. “Haven’t you lost money before?”
He cleared his throat, not meeting her eyes. “Not this much.”
Given his wealth and the years managing his legendary fund, she couldn’t imagine how much that might be. She didn’t even want to know.
All right, yes. Yes she did.
“How much?” she asked.
Turning away, he gripped the kitchen counter and hung his head. After a moment, he said, “A lot.”
“Like, millions?”
He glanced at her over his shoulder, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. Then he sobered. He gave a quick nod.
So all of his behavior today had nothing to do with her?
Could she believe that?
“Why’d you seem so angry at me ?” And that other thing, she added silently.
“I—I—” He stood up straight and looked her in the eye. “It was wrong of me. I apologize. I suppose I think of you like… family. My mother always said I took everything out on her whenever I got home from school.”
Now he was comparing her to his mother?
Whatever sexy feelings had been coursing through her veins a few minutes ago were now as desiccated as the hallway carpeting. Had Ian Cooper reached out to her for a hate fuck?
And had she almost agreed to it?
Billie went over to the counter and sought comfort from the cream cheese. Lifting the knife, which felt a little dangerous at the moment, she slathered a fist-sized glob of white heaven on a chunk of poppy seed bagel and shoved it in her mouth.
Would she never learn? She loved guys. She loved handsome guys. She loved having sex with handsome guys. It had gotten her into trouble in high school, in college, in her adult life—always. Girls just wanna have fun . God help her.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he said, giving her another robust thwack before striding out of the kitchen.
As she was rubbing the bruise on her arm—perhaps it was only emotional, but it stung all the same—she heard Marco and Shawn return to the house, and the exchange of bags of hamburgers among the men. When Shawn stuck his head in and asked her if she wanted a cheeseburger, she shook her head, pointing at her full mouth and waving her bagel.
While the men ate in the other room, she stood there and polished off the rest of the cream cheese, wondering how much money Ian would have to lose before he got angry enough to actually have sex with her.
Economic downturn had never sounded so hot.
And then, disgusted with herself, she went back to work.
* * *
T he following Friday night , Ian closed his laptop, took off
When she realized he was staring at her mouth, her knees weakened, pushing him closer to her. When he began to lower his head, her lips parted involuntarily. She told herself it was only because she needed some air.
Slowly, so slowly, he moved closer. Mesmerized, she watched the flick of his tongue over his lips. Her own thoughts were scattered, unsteady, elusive.
And then he drew back, frowning, and let out his breath. Like a bubble bursting, the strange, nervous tension broke and disappeared. He patted the sides of her arms where he’d been holding her, roughly, like a quarterback with his defensive lineman, and rolled his eyes.
“I must be losing my mind,” he said. “God, I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”
She did feel as if she’d been run over by a horse trailer, but she didn’t think that’s what he meant. “What’s the matter with you?”
Her question came out more hostile than she’d intended, but he’d upset her.
“I—I—” He looked away, his scowl deepening. “I didn’t realize how upset I was about—about—business. Last night. Lost a lot of money. Didn’t expect it.”
This was about work ? She’d known him for a long time. He’d never seemed to let his business bother him before. It was always a game, always fun, or at least intellectually fulfilling. “Haven’t you lost money before?”
He cleared his throat, not meeting her eyes. “Not this much.”
Given his wealth and the years managing his legendary fund, she couldn’t imagine how much that might be. She didn’t even want to know.
All right, yes. Yes she did.
“How much?” she asked.
Turning away, he gripped the kitchen counter and hung his head. After a moment, he said, “A lot.”
“Like, millions?”
He glanced at her over his shoulder, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. Then he sobered. He gave a quick nod.
So all of his behavior today had nothing to do with her?
Could she believe that?
“Why’d you seem so angry at me ?” And that other thing, she added silently.
“I—I—” He stood up straight and looked her in the eye. “It was wrong of me. I apologize. I suppose I think of you like… family. My mother always said I took everything out on her whenever I got home from school.”
Now he was comparing her to his mother?
Whatever sexy feelings had been coursing through her veins a few minutes ago were now as desiccated as the hallway carpeting. Had Ian Cooper reached out to her for a hate fuck?
And had she almost agreed to it?
Billie went over to the counter and sought comfort from the cream cheese. Lifting the knife, which felt a little dangerous at the moment, she slathered a fist-sized glob of white heaven on a chunk of poppy seed bagel and shoved it in her mouth.
Would she never learn? She loved guys. She loved handsome guys. She loved having sex with handsome guys. It had gotten her into trouble in high school, in college, in her adult life—always. Girls just wanna have fun . God help her.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he said, giving her another robust thwack before striding out of the kitchen.
As she was rubbing the bruise on her arm—perhaps it was only emotional, but it stung all the same—she heard Marco and Shawn return to the house, and the exchange of bags of hamburgers among the men. When Shawn stuck his head in and asked her if she wanted a cheeseburger, she shook her head, pointing at her full mouth and waving her bagel.
While the men ate in the other room, she stood there and polished off the rest of the cream cheese, wondering how much money Ian would have to lose before he got angry enough to actually have sex with her.
Economic downturn had never sounded so hot.
And then, disgusted with herself, she went back to work.
* * *
T he following Friday night , Ian closed his laptop, took off