NOT DATING MATERIAL Accidental Love #2 by Saxon James
Synopsis
MOLLY
Moving to Seattle is supposed to be all about getting a fresh start and leaving the bitter man I was becoming behind.
I have new roommates–quirky, sometimes strange, roommates–a nosy, next-door neighbor and a grumpy kitty for company, but even surrounded by people, I still don't feel like I belong. Plus, it turns out the men in Seattle are exactly the same as the ones I left behind, and my string of romantic disconnections continues.
It's not until one of my roommates, Seven, hits me with some hard truths that I realize where I was going wrong.
Maybe the men aren't the problem.
I am.
And there's only one way to fix that.
SEVEN
Being found tied up naked to my bed by my cute new roommate isn't an ideal way for us to start a friendship.
But apparently a quid-pro-quo is.
He keeps his pretty lips zipped about the compromising position, and I step in as his dating coach. We go out, I point out where he's going wrong, and he magically becomes dating material.
The problem is, between my codependent brother Xander and a new best friend I can't get rid of, Molly and I are the target of a matchmaking scheme. My life is way too busy to add another person to it, and Molly is the kinda guy who needs to be made a priority, which I just can't do. Xander's medical anxiety takes up too much of my time, and I've never found a partner who doesn't resent it.
I'm determined to help Molly find his ever after.
But that guy will never be me.
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Excerpt
Almost as soon as I hear his message tone go off, Molly throws open the office door. He's got all the windows in the corner room open, flooding it with more sunlight than I usually let in here, and the beams highlight the dust stirring behind his head. The guy looks like a flipping angel.
Until his eyes drop to my torso.
"Some days, I wonder if you're purposely trying to turn me on."
I bite back a laugh. "Yeah, until you catch me shaving my balls, you don't get to claim that."
He leans against the doorframe and crosses one ankle over the other, his short athletic shorts showing off nicely sculpted, tan thighs.
Molly grunts. "And now you're checking me out. That's not fair."
"You were shamelessly ogling me."
"You're shirtless and a foot taller than me. It was right there in my face."
"Didn't try to look away though, did you?"
"I mean …" His teeth bury into his bottom lip as his gaze drops back down. "I just really love that tattoo."
My lips twitch as I mirror him, leaning against the opposite jamb. "When I agreed to date you, I thought you'd be more high-maintenance than you have been."
"Really?"
"Just from what you said. But so far, I've only had thirty-six texts and two random calls, one about a bee you saw outside the window and one about how the knighting system in England works."
"I was curious."
"You also have Google."
He drags his bottom lip between his teeth. "Too much?"
That's a hard question to answer. Molly texts like he talks. Every sentence is a new message, all short sporadic bursts, bouncing around in a way that's impossible to follow but fun to try. So instead of giving him the full answer, I hedge. "Maybe if I was at work, yeah. Or had, I dunno, a corporate job."
"Okay …" He very obviously catalogs that information, and I'm hit with a stab of something. Something that doesn't sit right.
"But, hey. If I'm texting back, go wild. As many as you want."
"Really?"
"Well, with me, at least. You can usually pick up on tone when people are trying to blow you off."
"Yeah, I'm not the best at that."
"Then ask. Communication is important in any relationship, and it's better that you know that stuff up front and avoid an easy problem later."
"And … with you? I can text you if you're not working?"
"Well, I can't write back when I'm working, but as long as you're okay with waiting for a reply, I'm happy to read them all when I'm done. Just don't be texting me things like hey, where are you or why aren't you texting me back because that'll get old fast."
He laughs softly and holds out his hand, pinky extended. "Promise."
"There's no horse-drawn way I'm pinky swearing with you."
"Aww, come on?"
And because I'm worried that Molly has the kind of power to make me do just about anything, I cross my arms. Be strong, Seven. "Hard line for me."
Molly huffs. "Fine. But tomorrow, I'm going to send you a hundred texts to go through once you've finished work."
"Oooh, that'll show me." I don't tell him that I'd like it.
It takes me a moment to realize we're both standing there, smiling at each other.
I clear my throat and step away. "Don't forget it's your turn to set up the next date."
"Already working on it."
"Oh, and the reason I came up here before you started drooling over me and distracting me—this Saturday. Bertha thing. You're in, right?"
"When you say thing, do you mean like Monopoly Monday or an orgy? Because while the second isn't a deal breaker, I'd probably need some time to think it over."
"Huh. Never thought you'd be interested in sleeping with Madden."
Molly shrugs. "It's been a while for me. But okay, no. Not him." His eyes flick to me and away again.
I grin and step forward. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're angling for another look at my cock."
"Good thing you know better, then."
"Pity for you. It's a great cock."
Molly smirks. "I know. I've seen it."
I search his eyes for a second, wondering how far to push this thing. We're date training and becoming friends, and I'm apparently not his type. But lawd Molly's pretty. He makes me want to break the rules. I've never been so tempted by one person before.
"Saturday's dinner," I tell him. "And then Elle's booked out the VIP section in one of the clubs downtown."
"Fancy."
"Friends in high places. Never thought I'd have one of those."
Somehow, we've gotten really close, and when Molly's face lights up with mischief, it's only too easy for him to press onto his toes and rub the tip of his nose against mine.
"What—"
"No pinky swears for you. We'll do nose kisses instead."
I take a huge step back. "I'll do nose kisses when I'm dead."
"Too late," he sings.
I shake my head as I walk off. "Saturday."
"I'll be there. And I'll wear something extra slutty. Just for you."
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About the Author
Saxon James unapologetically writes happy endings for LGBT+ characters.
While not writing, SM is a readaholic and Netflix addict who regularly lives on a sustainable diet of chocolate and coffee.
Member of SCBWI.
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