The Pretend Boyfriend novel Chapter 73

"Studying is so blasé," Brian said. "So ... if you're not doing anything else tonight, I was thinking we could grab a movie ... and dinner. Just the two of us."

"Movie? D-dinner?" Adie was still the color of beet.

"Yeah." Brian glared at Goldie, who was making faces, and directed this to her. "You got a problem with me taking your cousin out?"

"Not at all."

"Good. Now where were we?" Brian flitted back to Adie. "Pick you up at eight?"

"Yes," Adie gushed, clearly unable to believe this was happening to her.

"Where do you live?"

Adie told him. She apparently shared a room with Goldie, the sophomore that Warwick was interested in but wouldn't give him the time of day.

"OK, see you later." Brian gave her one of his patented smoky looks that was meant to say much more than it really did.

He uncurled himself and got up, feeling the scorching gazes of both girls in his back. He wondered if his snub was having its desired effect on Goldie.

Brian arrived exactly on the dot to pick Adie up at her dorm room. He was pleasantly surprised to see that she had made an effort to doll herself up. She wore a green dress that reflected the overhead fluorescent. She had put on green makeup as well, and thankfully not green lipstick to match. Brian couldn't abide girls who decked themselves out in strange colors.

Goldie was also there, and more than a little surprised herself, as if she was hoping to see her cousin being stood up. She's a right bitch, that one. He wondered why Warwick was so interested in her. But now, to earn his five hundred bucks and keep his rep intact, he had to play smooching lothario.

"Wow," he says engagingly, "you look great."

It wasn't completely a lie.

Adie stared at him. Like - really, really stared. He had naturally made an effort to look good himself. Sexy good, the way he knew he would if he put on just a black wife beater and blue jeans, and donned a simple white shirt over the former. And of course, with his height, he cut quite an imposing figure at the doorway.

Goldie stared at him too, but with a tinge of envy. Right after he leaves with Adie, Warwick was going to call Goldie in her chagrined, lonesome state - a plumped chicken for the taking.

For Goldie's benefit, Brian proffered his arm to Adie. After a moment's hesitation, Adie took it.

Adie seemed surprised. Jettisoned out of her wits, more like. Stunned, she let him kiss her. As he came up for air, she seized his face and kissed him instead with a passion that astounded him. Just when he was all over her, she was suddenly all over him - groping, sliding, grabbing. She obviously wanted him more than she had let on.

Brian managed to get a word in. "Your roommate?" he panted.

It wasn't completely an act. Adie's fervor did get him worked up, and he could always get it up for anything young and female.

"What about her?" Her eyes were bright and wide.

"Think you can persuade her to go someplace else?"

"I'll try."

Adie unlocked the door and pushed it in. Goldie was sprawled on her bed, reading something on Anthropology. She looked up irritably.

"You're late," she said, and added, "Oh" as soon as she saw Brian.