Read Online Outside the Lines (Rebel Hearts #1) by Emily Goodwin - Free Book Online
Authors: Emily Goodwin
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why would she lie?”
“She’s sadistic?” I offer, voice going high pitched.
Ben tips his head like he’s studying me. “She is, but not that much.”
“We went to high school together,” I admit and am surprised by the relief I feel in saying that. “And we weren’t friends.”
“What, were you the popular hot girl and she wasn’t?”
I let out a snort—yes, and actual snort—of laughter and give Ben a “what the fuck are you smoking?” look.
“Other way around?” he asks like it can’t be true.
I put my hand to my chest, meaning to draw attention to the giant R2D2 on my shirt as if that proves my point. “Very much so.”
“Because you like Star Trek?”
I blink and look down at my shirt. Nope. I just … can’t. I shake my head and stare at him with wide eyes. The adrenaline is wearing off and things are feeling more and more awkward. I wave my hand in the air.
“Look, sorry I called you an asshole, though I really didn’t call you that. Just show me the computers and I’ll get things set up, fix your site, and leave.”
Ben still has that stupid grin on his face, and I hate how attractive he is with it. “You’re making me want to prove to you I’m not an asshole.”
“Really, you don’t have to. You did seem like you were legit sorry you ruined my shirt back there—”
“You said you weren’t upset,” he interjects.
“I’m not that upset. That shirt really doesn’t fit that well and I only wore it because I’m slacking on laundry. I don’t think I’ve even worn it in years.” Color rushes to my cheeks. Why am I saying this? Stop talking, Felicity. “Now … let’s just get this over with and be on our separate ways. Then you’ll never have to see me and think of this awkward moment again.”
“I’ll definitely be thinking about this again,” he says and pushes off his desk. I just now notice the flecks of paint on his hands and arms. If I hadn’t been so dumbstruck by his damn good looks, maybe I would have put two and two together and figured out he was Ben.
Though, I highly doubt that.
It was already in my mind that Ben was an older gay man, not a super attractive guy in his thirties with muscles and tattoos and a rather large bulge in his—
Stop.
“Feel free,” I say and hold onto the strap of the heavy bag. Ben notices and steps forward to take it. Okay. Maybe he really isn’t an asshole. “So, your computers,” I start. “They were seriously old. How did you function?” I can be blunt right? We are past fake formalities by now.
Ben laughs. “I don’t use it much.” He must notice my shocked expression. “I bring my laptop with me everywhere I go and use that instead.”
“Oh good,” I say. “Because if you were one of those people that didn’t like computers, I’d … I’d really do nothing because I don’t know you and it wouldn’t matter at all.” I laugh, nervous. Fuck, why am I so awkward?
“We can change that,” he says, his dark eyes meeting mine and it’s like he’s looking into my soul, seeing how desperate I am for a good, hard fuck by something other than my neon-pink vibrator. Seriously, my wrists hurt from doing myself every night. Thanks, Mom, for forcing me to take piano lessons that started the wrist pain. Wait, no. Mom should be nowhere in this thought process. I blink and shake my head.
“But first,” he says when I just stare at him like he’s an all-you-can-eat cupcake buffet and I’m on a carb-free diet. “The computer situation. I did update what we have here. It’s easier to do bookkeeping in the office rather than brining my personal computer back and forth.”
“I bet. So you want me to set that up too?”
“I can do it.”
“I’m sure I can do it faster.”
He gets a devilish glint in his eyes. “I’m sure you can.”
Is he making a sexual joke or do I have a dirty mind? Fuck. Thinking about Ben and sex makes me warm
“She’s sadistic?” I offer, voice going high pitched.
Ben tips his head like he’s studying me. “She is, but not that much.”
“We went to high school together,” I admit and am surprised by the relief I feel in saying that. “And we weren’t friends.”
“What, were you the popular hot girl and she wasn’t?”
I let out a snort—yes, and actual snort—of laughter and give Ben a “what the fuck are you smoking?” look.
“Other way around?” he asks like it can’t be true.
I put my hand to my chest, meaning to draw attention to the giant R2D2 on my shirt as if that proves my point. “Very much so.”
“Because you like Star Trek?”
I blink and look down at my shirt. Nope. I just … can’t. I shake my head and stare at him with wide eyes. The adrenaline is wearing off and things are feeling more and more awkward. I wave my hand in the air.
“Look, sorry I called you an asshole, though I really didn’t call you that. Just show me the computers and I’ll get things set up, fix your site, and leave.”
Ben still has that stupid grin on his face, and I hate how attractive he is with it. “You’re making me want to prove to you I’m not an asshole.”
“Really, you don’t have to. You did seem like you were legit sorry you ruined my shirt back there—”
“You said you weren’t upset,” he interjects.
“I’m not that upset. That shirt really doesn’t fit that well and I only wore it because I’m slacking on laundry. I don’t think I’ve even worn it in years.” Color rushes to my cheeks. Why am I saying this? Stop talking, Felicity. “Now … let’s just get this over with and be on our separate ways. Then you’ll never have to see me and think of this awkward moment again.”
“I’ll definitely be thinking about this again,” he says and pushes off his desk. I just now notice the flecks of paint on his hands and arms. If I hadn’t been so dumbstruck by his damn good looks, maybe I would have put two and two together and figured out he was Ben.
Though, I highly doubt that.
It was already in my mind that Ben was an older gay man, not a super attractive guy in his thirties with muscles and tattoos and a rather large bulge in his—
Stop.
“Feel free,” I say and hold onto the strap of the heavy bag. Ben notices and steps forward to take it. Okay. Maybe he really isn’t an asshole. “So, your computers,” I start. “They were seriously old. How did you function?” I can be blunt right? We are past fake formalities by now.
Ben laughs. “I don’t use it much.” He must notice my shocked expression. “I bring my laptop with me everywhere I go and use that instead.”
“Oh good,” I say. “Because if you were one of those people that didn’t like computers, I’d … I’d really do nothing because I don’t know you and it wouldn’t matter at all.” I laugh, nervous. Fuck, why am I so awkward?
“We can change that,” he says, his dark eyes meeting mine and it’s like he’s looking into my soul, seeing how desperate I am for a good, hard fuck by something other than my neon-pink vibrator. Seriously, my wrists hurt from doing myself every night. Thanks, Mom, for forcing me to take piano lessons that started the wrist pain. Wait, no. Mom should be nowhere in this thought process. I blink and shake my head.
“But first,” he says when I just stare at him like he’s an all-you-can-eat cupcake buffet and I’m on a carb-free diet. “The computer situation. I did update what we have here. It’s easier to do bookkeeping in the office rather than brining my personal computer back and forth.”
“I bet. So you want me to set that up too?”
“I can do it.”
“I’m sure I can do it faster.”
He gets a devilish glint in his eyes. “I’m sure you can.”
Is he making a sexual joke or do I have a dirty mind? Fuck. Thinking about Ben and sex makes me warm
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