Boomerang Read Free Page B

teasing, and I don’t know if it’s a memory or a fantasy, but I can feel his hands on me, his fingers smoothing away the strap of my dress . . .
    “The man speaks the truth,” Sky says. “Jackets make you look boxy.”
    I get a mental grip on myself. “Whatever. Just please and thanks.” Seriously, anything’s bound to be an improvement over my current ensemble.
    “Stop talking to me so I can take care of this. I’ll text to confirm.”
    “Thanks, doll.” I really do have the best friends on earth.
    “No worries,” says Skyler, who then treats me to a big, toothy grin. “Tell Ethan he’s a hot piece of ass.”
    He laughs beside me, and I shake my head in mortification.
    “I’m pretty sure he already knows.”

 Chapter 4 
     
    Ethan
     
    Q: Do you plan dates, or do you like to be surprised?
     
    T he cab moves down Wilshire at a crawl. I can’t stop my leg from jittering, even when it’s clear Mia notices. I want to swing the door open, throw off my jacket, and sprint to Century City. I know I could get there faster. I smile, thinking of my dad’s favorite comment when he comes to visit. Why is everyone in such a damn hurry here? But if you want to get somewhere, you accept it. Successful people live their lives in a damn hurry.
    “Do you work for ESPN or something?”
    Mia’s question surprises me. Then I remember she must have seen my weights and soccer gear.
    “No, I wish.” Earning a living from sports would be great. I came close to making that happen. Set a few records at UCLA. But a knee injury junior year ruled out pro soccer for me. After ACL surgery, it was never quite the same.
    “I’m starting a new job today,” I tell Mia, focusing on the future. “Marketing for an online business.” I can’t bring myself to say “internship.” I have a degree from a top university. You’d think I could find a way to get paid to work, but that’ll change soon enough. “What about you? Swimsuit model?”
    I don’t know why I’m flirting with her. I won’t ever see her again, and we’ve already hooked up. Not that I remember it. But she’s hot, and there’s something intriguing about her. She’s a little mystery, wrapped in my favorite dress shirt.
    “Well, of course.” She smiles and pats her hip. “With all this to work with, what else would I be?”
    She’s so comfortable with her body. Amazing after two years with Alison, who still wanted the lights off when we slept together. I don’t think Mia and I even started in bed. We ended up there though.
    “What else?” I say. “I don’t know. Vegas showgirl?”
    “Wow, thanks. That’s so progressive of you.”
    “Just my imagination speaking. So, what’s it really? What do you do?”
    Mia crosses her legs, and I manage to keep eye contact. “Well, actually, I’m still in school.”
    “School . . . great.” Please be eighteen. She has to be. “What year and where?”
    “I’m a sophomore at LA High.”
    I almost choke on my tongue. “You’re what ?”
    She bursts into laughter. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist. Actually, I’m a senior at Occidental. Studying filmmaking. But I took on this position for my last semester to get some real-world experience.”
    “You’re a filmmaker? That’s cool. I love this one art house film. Star Wars ? Maybe you haven’t heard of it. It’s an obscure title.”
    That’s all I can come up with to cover my lack of film knowledge. I don’t watch movies; I play soccer. When I’m not playing soccer, I read books about history, or biographies—subjects a girl like Mia would probably hate.
    She narrows her eyes like she’s deep in thought. “ Star Wars , you say? It doesn’t ring a bell, but you know us film majors. If it’s not some grainy black-and-white transfer, dubbed into Slovak and then back into English, it’s so not worth the time.”
    She stretches her legs into my personal space. I can’t tell if she’s flirting or just at ease. Either way, I like it.
    “What