said with a sigh.
Summer grinned. “How could I forget?”
“Well, he’s no longer a stranger. He showed up today.”
A gasp came barreling out of Summer’s throat. “No! He actually tracked you down? Why?”
“He said he wanted to see me.”
“Well, that’s nice of him.”
She stared at her friend. “You don’t find that the least bit strange?”
“Strange? No. I think it’s kind of sweet.”
Maggie snorted. “Trust me. He’s not sweet. He’s arrogant and presumptuous and—”
“You like him.”
She replied with a dirty look and a stubborn silence.
“Is it so bad, actually liking someone?” Summer teased. “Just go on a date with him, see what happens.”
“He doesn’t want a date,” she said through clenched teeth. “He wants to have a sleepover.”
“A sleepover? You mean—ohhhh.” Summer’s eyes lit up. “So what the hell are you grumbling about?
You said he was gorgeous, you two had chemistry, why not dub him the new Tony?”
“Because he’s not Tony. He’s demanding and complicated.”
“So maybe you need demanding and complicated. When was the last time you got involved with a guy without calling the shots?” Summer frowned. “I get you have goals, Mags, but that’s no reason to stop having fun. If I were you, I’d totally be up for a sleepover.” Summer stood up and smoothed down the front of her pink A-line skirt. “I’ve gotta go. Tygue’s waiting for me outside.”
“What?” Maggie shot to her feet. “You can’t go. You never talked me out of anything.”
“And I don’t intend to.” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Summer headed for the door.
“Wait,” she called after her friend. “One more thing.”
With a sigh, Summer turned around. “What now?”
“Do you know anything about an actor named Ben Barrett?”
“Hmmm…I think he was in that movie Tygue and I rented last week. He played this ex-SWAT member who had to save an old flame from a group of arms dealers.”
“Is he an axe murderer?”
“What? No. I just told you, he played a SWAT—”
“Not the character. The actor.” Maggie knew she was grasping at straws. “Have you ever heard anything about him being dangerous?”
“Why on earth are you asking me this?”
“Um, Trisha. She thought she saw him on the news for whacking someone.” Dear God, was she this desperate to find a reason not to let Ben stay at her place?
“Whacking? Oh, you mean, like mafia or something?” Summer chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t think so. Only thing I know about the guy is that women love him.” Wonderful.
“You want my advice, Mags?” Summer added. “Stop thinking about Trisha and movie stars, and have sex with your stranger already. You know you want to, so quit griping and just do it.”
“Just do it,” she muttered to herself. “Like the condom ad.”
“Nike.”
“Huh?”
“Shoes, Maggie!” Summer’s eyes darkened with disbelief. “That does it. You’re so absorbed with work and school that you’ve lost touch with the rest of the world. Look, do me favor and spend some time with a man who won’t fly to Fiji the second he zips up his pants. Tygue and I will be gone for a week, so maybe take advantage of that empty apartment and allow a few complications to murk up your life, okay? It’ll be good for you.”
Women didn’t say no to Ben Barrett.
It was simply one of those delicious facts of life that Ben had come to accept over the years. He was fifteen when he first realized the power he had over women. Fifteen when a few friends dared him to ask the most popular senior girl in school to the freshman prom, and not only had Ben walked into the high school gym with the hottest girl on his arm, but he’d also lost his virginity that night.
Needless to say, he wasn’t surprised when Maggie walked out of the bar at two a.m. and gestured for him to follow her.
Oh yeah, he still had a way with the ladies. They just couldn’t say no.
Yet while this fiery
Summer grinned. “How could I forget?”
“Well, he’s no longer a stranger. He showed up today.”
A gasp came barreling out of Summer’s throat. “No! He actually tracked you down? Why?”
“He said he wanted to see me.”
“Well, that’s nice of him.”
She stared at her friend. “You don’t find that the least bit strange?”
“Strange? No. I think it’s kind of sweet.”
Maggie snorted. “Trust me. He’s not sweet. He’s arrogant and presumptuous and—”
“You like him.”
She replied with a dirty look and a stubborn silence.
“Is it so bad, actually liking someone?” Summer teased. “Just go on a date with him, see what happens.”
“He doesn’t want a date,” she said through clenched teeth. “He wants to have a sleepover.”
“A sleepover? You mean—ohhhh.” Summer’s eyes lit up. “So what the hell are you grumbling about?
You said he was gorgeous, you two had chemistry, why not dub him the new Tony?”
“Because he’s not Tony. He’s demanding and complicated.”
“So maybe you need demanding and complicated. When was the last time you got involved with a guy without calling the shots?” Summer frowned. “I get you have goals, Mags, but that’s no reason to stop having fun. If I were you, I’d totally be up for a sleepover.” Summer stood up and smoothed down the front of her pink A-line skirt. “I’ve gotta go. Tygue’s waiting for me outside.”
“What?” Maggie shot to her feet. “You can’t go. You never talked me out of anything.”
“And I don’t intend to.” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Summer headed for the door.
“Wait,” she called after her friend. “One more thing.”
With a sigh, Summer turned around. “What now?”
“Do you know anything about an actor named Ben Barrett?”
“Hmmm…I think he was in that movie Tygue and I rented last week. He played this ex-SWAT member who had to save an old flame from a group of arms dealers.”
“Is he an axe murderer?”
“What? No. I just told you, he played a SWAT—”
“Not the character. The actor.” Maggie knew she was grasping at straws. “Have you ever heard anything about him being dangerous?”
“Why on earth are you asking me this?”
“Um, Trisha. She thought she saw him on the news for whacking someone.” Dear God, was she this desperate to find a reason not to let Ben stay at her place?
“Whacking? Oh, you mean, like mafia or something?” Summer chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t think so. Only thing I know about the guy is that women love him.” Wonderful.
“You want my advice, Mags?” Summer added. “Stop thinking about Trisha and movie stars, and have sex with your stranger already. You know you want to, so quit griping and just do it.”
“Just do it,” she muttered to herself. “Like the condom ad.”
“Nike.”
“Huh?”
“Shoes, Maggie!” Summer’s eyes darkened with disbelief. “That does it. You’re so absorbed with work and school that you’ve lost touch with the rest of the world. Look, do me favor and spend some time with a man who won’t fly to Fiji the second he zips up his pants. Tygue and I will be gone for a week, so maybe take advantage of that empty apartment and allow a few complications to murk up your life, okay? It’ll be good for you.”
Women didn’t say no to Ben Barrett.
It was simply one of those delicious facts of life that Ben had come to accept over the years. He was fifteen when he first realized the power he had over women. Fifteen when a few friends dared him to ask the most popular senior girl in school to the freshman prom, and not only had Ben walked into the high school gym with the hottest girl on his arm, but he’d also lost his virginity that night.
Needless to say, he wasn’t surprised when Maggie walked out of the bar at two a.m. and gestured for him to follow her.
Oh yeah, he still had a way with the ladies. They just couldn’t say no.
Yet while this fiery
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