Read Online The Game Changer by Marie Landry - Free Book Online

really knows how to—”
    “You ladies look like you’re having a lot of fun.”
    Both girls’ heads snapped up and they turned to stare at the stranger, who was now standing at their table. He was even more gorgeous up close.
    Olivia recovered first. “We are,” she said, gracing him with a mega-watt smile, which he returned, his teeth flashing white in the semi-darkness.
    His gaze moved to Melody. She attempted to smile, but she was afraid it came out looking more like a grimace. She’d always been fairly shy and awkward around guys, and that was just with average guys. This one was anything but average.
    Once again, Olivia came to her rescue. “I’m Olivia, and this is Melody.” She stuck out her hand for him to shake, and he did, then turned with his outstretched hand to Melody. When she finally placed her palm in his, he held on, his warm, dry hand engulfing hers.
    “A pleasure to meet you both,” he said. He wasn’t speaking loudly, but Melody somehow heard him perfectly over the music.
    Smooth operator, this one , she thought when he released her hand, but kept his gaze trained on her.
    He looked at her expectantly, one corner of his mouth twitching into a lopsided grin. Finally, he turned to Olivia and said in an almost conspiratorial voice, “Does she speak?”
    Olivia chuckled, then outright laughed at the look on Melody’s face. “She does, she’s just shy.”
    Shy. Melody hated being shy. Almost as much as she hated being cute. “You didn’t tell us your name.”
    He turned back to her, the lopsided grin tugging at his lips once again. “You’ll have to forgive me,” he said. “I momentarily lost my manners in the presence of such beauty.”
    Melody just barely kept herself from scoffing. What a line! she thought. She glanced at Olivia, who met her gaze with a raised eyebrow and a barely concealed smirk.
    “I’m Julian,” he said, tucking his hands into his trouser pockets. “Would you ladies let me buy you a drink?”
    Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but Melody beat her to it. “That’s nice of you, but we’re having a girls’ night.”
    Olivia shot her a bemused look, but Julian nodded as if he understood. “Of course. I should have figured that out when you two kept rejecting all those poor saps on the dance floor.”
    So he had been watching, Melody thought. For some reason, that sent a little spark of excitement through her. “We’re celebrating,” she said, unsure why she was volunteering that information. “Olivia just moved back to Bellevue after living in Toronto for the last ten years.”
    “Well, welcome back, then,” Julian said, nodding at Olivia. It was so dark in the club Melody couldn’t tell what colour his eyes were, but as they returned to her, they were dancing with something akin to amusement. “I hope to see you ladies here again soon. Enjoy the rest of your night.” With that, he smiled broadly, nodded to them both, and headed back to his seat across the room.
    “Well that was interesting,” Melody said. She was used to guys being far more aggressive, especially around Olivia.
    “Melody Anne,” Olivia said, shaking her head. “Sometimes I wonder about you.”
    Melody’s eyes widened. “Why?”
    Olivia let out a long breath. She had that look on her face that said she thought Melody was being slow and Olivia would have to explain something simple to her. “The hottest guy in this club…possibly the hottest guy in this whole town …just came onto you and you shot him down. If it had been me he was interested in I might have had to break our girls’ night pact and go home with him.”
    “But that’s clearly what he wanted,” Melody said. “To go home with someone. And I’m just not that girl. It’s fine for you to do that, but I just can’t.”
    Olivia looked like she wanted to ask why, but she didn’t. She knew why. Melody wasn’t the one night stand type. She wanted love and monogamy and just plain more from someone than a heated