Page 82 of The Boyfriend Goal

Josie: Nice turnaround.

I smile stupidly against the dark window so no one can see how I look right now. The glass is cool, but I’m warm everywhere. I don’t want to talk about me with Josie. Not with my teammates around. And honestly, not that much in general. I want to talk about her.

Wesley: It was. But what are you up to? Also, it’s late. Go to bed.

Josie: That’s where I am.

Josie: Here’s your proof of bed.

She sends a picture of the lower half of the bed. Her legs are clearly under the covers. A paperback sits on the white blanket. Zooming in, I read the title. Someone Else’s Ring.

Wesley: New book. Does this mean you’ve finished the thriller? The Woman in the Hotel?

Josie: I did, and the thrill was thrilling.

Wesley: How’s this one?

Josie: It reads like you fuck.

Forget warm. I’m red-hot under the collar of my dress shirt, remembering the words she wrote on hotel stationery more than a month ago. He fucked like a page-turner you didn’t want to put down.

Is it just me or is Josie getting…naughtier? Bolder? More brazen? Pretty sure it’s not just me—it’s her, turning up the heat.

I’m feeling the burn in the dark of the quiet jet, streaking across the sky. Here, it’s like no man’s land, free of consequences, devoid of risk. A place where we can flirt because of the miles between us. So I tap out a reply.

Wesley: Bet I still “read” like that.

Josie: You’d keep me up all night?

Wesley: Like a page-turner, Josie. Like a fucking page-turner.

26

THE SAME SPACE PROBLEM

Josie

I have reached peak librarian awesomeness. I am officially better than an algorithm, and Amazon has nothing on me as I update our Your Next Five Reads list with fresh recommendations.

It’s an extra thing I wanted to do, and so far, the digital initiative has been a success. It’s a new service I’ve set up during the last few weeks—something we’ve been promoting on the branch’s website since then. Patrons submit their favorite books and top authors, telling us what they liked, and then add what they might be in the mood to read next.

We—usually me—write back within a few hours with five recommendations of books, either paperback, digital, or audio, and explain why we think they’ll like them.

It’s a mood reader’s dream, and I review the final one I worked on today, checking each rec. Yep, these look good. Feeling like a smarty-pants in the best of ways, I hit the send button when a flurry of papers flies my way.

I jerk my gaze away from the computer screen.

Of course.

A giant Siamese has landed on the counter, sending pages soaring as he gives zero fucks. I grab the papers, sorting them as Raccoon stretches his humongous body across the keyboard, belly up and carefree.

“You bad boy. You knocked everything off the counter,” I say, chiding him, but he doesn’t respond to criticism, being a cat and all.

Thalia’s at the other end of the desk here on the second floor. “It’s no use,” she says, popping up from her chair to wander my way. “He’s above it all.”

“Clearly,” I say, looking down at the creature relaxing shamelessly on the keyboard. “He’s trying to lure me now with his big sexy routine.”

“Ah, I see you’ve learned his trick.”

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