The Romance Novel Book Club Read Free Page A

acknowledgement passed through my lips like a tween-aged girl squealing over the Jonas Brothers as he led me out the door into the rain again. I swear he took his time getting the car unlocked.
    Damn, I lamented. Too bad it wasn’t a bike. I could have pressed my body up against him and curled my fingers around those amazing abs of his. Okay, at least he didn’t have a muscle car or something else men usually buy to compensate for lack of schlong size. Matt had a nice Ford Taurus. No bragging and no way to gauge his … distance.
    “I’d offer to warm your hands for you, but I need mine to drive.” He smiled, flicking on the heat. I jumped and giggled as the air hit me.
    “What?” he questioned.
    “Oh just the whole warming of the hands thing. Reminded me of this joke about Amish people and wagons.” I stifled another bout of laughter before clearing my throat. Everything he said came out as perverse to my slutty hearing. “Never mind. I’ll just be quiet now.”
    “You’re usually talking my ear off in the restaurant. Why stop now?”
    “Am I really that bad?” Oh no. I’m one of those yippy women. He’d end up hearing me like I was one of the adults on all those Peanuts television specials. I was her! Sullen, I gave him directions to my apartment building.
    I couldn’t catch a man right now if I charbroiled ten pounds of beef and rigged a cage over it.
    Matt nudged me two blocks into the ride of hell. “You’re not that chatty, Patty.”
    Sweet. The nickname I avoided all my life came rearing its ugly mug. My mood plummeted into the pint of Ben & Jerry’s mode. One more awkward moment would send me into draining my wine collection fast. I was with one of the men of my dreams, and I was blowing it. Considering I highly doubted I could snag Joe Manganiello, I put damage control into high gear.
    “Well sorry to disappoint, Matthew.” I sniggered.
    “Ugh. I hate that name.” He groaned.
    “The feeling’s mutual when it comes to calling me Patty. I prefer Patricia.” I crossed my arms and hmphed. I found it easier to stare into his gorgeous eyes when other people were around. At least I could feign interest if he caught me. Here in the confines of the car, however, proved to be a challenge. My gaze wanted to devour every last inch of him.
    “Noted.”
    I pretended to pluck an invisible thread from my slowly drying blouse to catch a peak of his package. Yeah, that package. I figure if it had any weight on it, it would definitely show through those masterfully tight jeans of his.
    “Enjoying the view?”
    Busted. “As much as you enjoyed yours back at the restaurant,” I quipped. “That’s my apartment complex. You might as well park in my spot.” I began to like Matt for more than extra breadsticks and a killer body. More than ever, I wanted to crawl all over him like he was a jungle gym. As his car eased into my space, the rain—a soft pitter-patter moments ago—turned into a gale force torrential downpour. My jaw dropped open for a second before I turned to Matt.
    “Care to get wet with me and go inside for a nightcap or tea? It beats sitting in the car waiting for this to stop.”
    “You just want to see me all wet and vulnerable.” His grin almost made me shiver with excitement. That special thrum my body gave just before a lustful night of naughty passionate nookie coursed through my veins.
    “I figure you owe me since I already danced in the rain for you.” I stuck my tongue out like a child. His beautiful ringing laugh further decimated my moistened panties and made me want to lock lips with him. Not like anyone would see me bouncing in his lap with the rain outside.
    “Sure. Why not?” He winked.
    We took off running from the car, and somehow our fingers got laced together. I didn’t care how. That warm flushed feeling of a first kiss coursed through me, and I got the female equivalent of a woody. Underneath the overhang, we glanced at each other in a fit of laughter. Damn. Six