Page 9 of The Good Girl Next Door

And she’s a vision. She’s wearing ripped jeans and a t-shirt and I can’t stop staring as she approaches me. She’s clutching a bundle of books in front of her. Big sunglasses cover her pretty eyes, but I still feel their heat as I release the float and edge toward her.

Her sandals slap against the concrete as the cranberry color on her toes draws my attention until she pauses a few feet away from the edge of the pool.

“Don’t worry, Pru,” I say, my breathing accelerating as I draw my gaze up her body. “I won’t splash you.”

She’s hardly showing a shred of skin but every bare inch I see is driving me wild.

“I don’t mind getting a little wet,” she says, sliding her sunglasses off her face, shaking her hair out.

Jesus.

Her eyes meet mine and she smiles. It’s a shy smile that contradicts her bold statement. There’s no way she doesn’t know.Fuckfuckfuck.It’s taking everything not to bound out of this pool andmakeher wet.

I flatten my arms against the edge of the pool, backing off the side because of the steel rod pummeling my trunks. “You can join me then. The water’s a little chilly but I can warm you up.”

She dips the temple of her sunglasses into her mouth, andmotherfu—I’m adding it to the list of inanimate objects I’m jealous of. I need to feel those perfect bow lips—anywhere.

Prudence slides her sunglasses onto her head as she repositions the small tablet onto her hip.

“Maybe another time,” she says as slow as her gaze as it drags across my chest.

Keep looking, baby. It’s all for you.

“I’m working in the library this afternoon.”

“Are you there every day?”

“Usually. But I only work in an official capacity during the week.”

Looks like I know where I’ll be every single afternoon. I’ll have Prudence’s schedule down by the end of the week. Lucky for me, I only have strength training in the afternoon a few days a week.

“Sounds like there’s not much room for play.”

“That’s what this is for,” she says, waving the tablet in her hand. It has a floral cover. Bright and bold like her scent.

“What is it?”

“My Kindle. Plenty of stories to get lost inside. I take it everywhere.”

“What kind of stories do you like, Prudence?”

There’s not a single thing I don’t want to know about her. I want to devour every little scrap she offers to me.

She blushes lightly, fingers toying with the hem of her shirt. I damn near spill when she draws her bottom lip into her mouth, releasing it a moment later.

“Romance is my favorite. After long days pouring over dense articles, it’s what my body craves to wind down.”

“Are you looking for romance, Pru?”

I could help her wind down. I could give my sweet girl everything she needs if she’d give me the opportunity.

“Is there a girl in the world who isn’t?”

I let out a long puff of air. “I figured your boyfriend would be giving you that.”

“If only I had one,” she says, bringing both her hands in front of her, clasping them against her Kindle.

It’s like the heavens have opened up and the angels are singing as bright rays of light rain down on her. My Prudence is single. Won’t be long until I lock her down.

---