Page 40 of The What If Guy (The Guys Who Got Away 3)
“And it’s great for . . .” His eyes take a stroll up and down my body.
His shameless gaze heats me up. Makes my skin tingle and my chest whoosh.
His eyes glimmer as he stares, like he’s imagining new ways to touch me from head to toe.
Then he shakes his head, as if he realized what he was doing.
He drags a hand over his hair, swallowing. “Sorry.”
“For what?” I ask, even though I know the answer. But I also liked his hungry eyes eating me up.
“For looking at you like that.”
“I didn’t mind,” I say in a whisper.
“Yeah?” His voice is rough, husky.
“I liked it,” I murmur.
“I like looking at you. And you look stunning today. Very professional and ridiculously sexy.”
My eyes drift down to his arms. “Same to you. Also, nice arm candy.”
His head dips, and he smiles. “Thanks. I read your piece. ‘Mr. Smolder.’ That’s how you saw me?”
“It was call you that or the Man I Want to Put Me on My Knees.”
His nostrils flare. His eyes darken, and my body aches. “You’d look so damn good on your knees, Bryn.”
Pleasure bursts across my skin, but before we burn the office down, I stand, run a hand along my skirt, and point my thumb at the door. “On that note, I should go.”
And quickly, before I do something I regret.
* * *
My team claps when I enter the conference room five minutes later.
I stop in my tracks. “I accept your adulation, but . . . why?”
Matthew’s grin is supersize as he swivels his laptop around. I peer closer at the screen. Looks like my “Mr. Smolder” piece.
“You’re clapping because you liked the article?” I ask, brow furrowed. “I mean, it was a good piece, but do I deserve cheers like a conquering hero?”
Quentin tuts. “Bryn, have you looked at the response on social media?”
“Not since this morning when we posted it. I’ve been working.” Nerves flutter in my belly—social media is the edge of a blade. Land on the wrong side of it, and you’re dead.
Rosario does a dance in her chair. “The numbers are insane. And check out the comments. They’re a little bada bing.”
Oh, dear.
I have a sinking feeling about why my team is cheering.
Why they’re happy.
Check out the comments can only be good for the site.
But bad for me. Because it means the audience wants more of my Mr. Smolder tale. And I’ll have to feed them, like a zookeeper tossing meat into the maw of a lion. Except I don’t have any rations to toss their way. I don’t have another date with Mr. Smolder to pull out of the feed bag.
I sink into a chair, my stomach churning, my throat tightening. I look up at Teagan, help me written in my eyes.
She’s all business as she rattles off shares, likes, retweets, and comments for “Mr. Smolder.” Most of all, comments. They’re positive, but curious. So damn curious. The site visitors want to know more, more, more.
And when, when, when.
My cheeks flame with every word I hear.
GuyOnAMission: Oh! This is everything I need to use the app. Gonna post about the woman who answered the door the other day in nothing but her towel. I was delivering packages, and I’m pretty sure she wanted to invite me in.
AlwaysDatingInNY: “Delivering packages”? Euphemism, much?
GuyOnAMission: Euphemism? No way. I wish! But guess what? I just signed up for Made Connections.
DatingSucksEverywhere: I hate dating, but this is like dating on steroids! Now I can try to find the cute brunette coming down the escalator at Whole Foods while I was on the up escalator. She had pumpkin spice latte–flavored beer. I was going to get pumpkin spice applesauce. Meant to be? Like you and Mr. Smolder.
AlwaysDatingInNY: Wow. Can you two come over for snack time with me?
QuirkyGuyInTheCity: I locked eyes with a woman across Love in the Time of Cholera at the indie bookstore the other day. Time to find her. Time to find her, win her, and read to her.
AlwaysDatingInNY: Brill idea, but hey, maybe try something more festive?
GuyOnAMission: Personally, I’d recommend Sophie Kinsella. Those Shopaholic books are so fun!
QuirkyGuyInTheCity: Thanks. When I need dating tips, I like to come to the comments section of a dating site.
AlwaysDatingInNY: Uh, yeah. That’s where you are. Good luck with your Cholera, man.
ReadyforLove: I want to meet my very own Mr. Smolder. Or a Mr. Steamy. Or Mr. McDreamy. And I saw all of them on the subway yesterday! Yay me! Signing up now! I’m going to find them!
DreamingofTheOne: A few days ago, I was walking through the park and I spotted a yoga class. This guy was doing the best downward-facing dog ever. And then he saw me. And he smiled and he slipped, and we laughed, and it was so cute. And now I’m going to find him thanks to this app.
