Friend Zoned (Barnett Bulldogs #2) (43 page)

Even though the ring is absolutely gorgeous, it’s the man on his knee that has the breath catching at the back of my throat because I honestly don’t think I could love him more than I already do.

“Vi?”  My name rolls roughly off his tongue as if my answer could be anything other than
yes
.

“
Yes
,” I whisper through tears of happiness, “of course my answer is
yes
!”

A relieved grin slowly spreads its way across his handsome face before he leans in, sweeping his lips gently across mine.

“You had me worried there for a minute.”

A little gurgle of laughter escapes as I quickly shake my head.  “I don’t even know how you could say such a thing!  I love you so much, Samuel Joseph Harper.  I can’t imagine spending my life with any other man but you.  You are my everything.  You always have been.”

And no matter what, he always will be.

~The End~

I hope you enjoyed reading Friend Zoned as much as I enjoyed writing it!  If you did, please consider leaving a review at Goodreads as well as at the retailer where you purchased this ebook.  Thank you so much for your support!  The next novel in the Barnett Bulldogs Series will feature Liam Garrison which is tentatively scheduled to be released in the fall of 2016!

Sneak Peak

At

King of Campus

Chapter One

Ladies, and a few guys as well, ;) keep those Roan King sightings pouring in.  Especially the ones of him at football practice.  Hot, sweaty, with an extra shot of gorgeous is exactly how I take my Roan King.  Don’t mind me while I type away with one hand…  KingOfCampus.com

“
Honey
,” I holler at the top of my lungs before kicking the door shut, “
I’mmmm home
!”

Those words are met with a loud shriek as Lexie flies around the corner before hurtling her small curvy body at me.  I’m given roughly two seconds to drop my bags in anticipation of impact.  She’s lucky I have fairly decent-

The breath gets knocked right out of me as we both go crashing to the floor.

Apparently reflexes are no match when that much force and weight are careening towards you at the speed of light.  Physics, I’m guessing, is exactly how I end up sprawled on my back with my best friend and roommate spread out on top of me in our brand-spanking-new apartment.  There’s a completely manic light filling her big brown eyes.  Matching the look, I can’t help but beam right back up at her because it is so freaking good to see her gorgeous face.

It’s been precisely fifteen months since we’ve been in the same room together.  Actually, it’s been fifteen months since we’ve been on the same continent.  I spent my sophomore year of college studying abroad in Paris.

Needless to say, it was just as amazing and spectacular as you’d imagine it would be.  Even thinking about it leaves me with a tiny little pang of nostalgia for the life I’d just left behind. 

“Damn, now that’s hot!  Can I snap a shot for my wallpaper?”

We both turn to stare at the tall, good looking male grinning… or maybe the correct term would be-
leering
down at us.  His eyes slide oh-so-slowly over our entwined bodies as if he’s trying to singe this moment into his memory… for all eternity.  But it’s not in a pervy way… what the heck am I saying?  Of course it’s in a pervy way.  Which is precisely when I realize that my dear friend, Lexie, seems to be missing the lower half of her outfit.

Yep… she’s only wearing panties.

Smothering a giggle, she clears her throat.  Rather impressively, her voice whips out in a perfect imitation of a mother scolding her three year old toddler.  “You damn well better not snap a picture or you won’t be seeing this ass for a very long time.”  To emphasize this point, she gives it a little shake and her boyfriend groans in response.

“Please?”  There’s a whole lot of whine filling his deep masculine voice.  Which is kind of hilarious because he’s well over six feet tall and is seriously broad in the chest and shoulders.  This one is definitely all man.  Lexie, of course, filled me in via Skype on the football playing boyfriend she acquired about seven months ago.  Needless to say, she wasn’t exaggerating.

He’s pretty damn hot.

If you’re into big and muscly…

Which I’m not going to lie… I am.

“The mental snap shot you’re burning into your brain right now will have to suffice.”

Folding his muscular arms in front of an equally solid looking chest, he grumbles under his breath, “You always have to be such a hard ass.”

Lexie gives me a little wink.  “You wouldn’t have it any other way, babe.”

“True,” he finally sighs in agreement, “very true.”

Since Lexie isn’t showing any indication of removing herself from my person anytime soon, I’m forced to point out the obvious.  “You might want to get off me before your boyfriend has an embarrassing moment in his shorts.”

I’m joking, of course.

Sort of.

“You don’t have to get off her on my account,” he quickly chimes in as he continues to ogle us.

Lexie rolls her eyes at me.

“Have I mentioned just how hot you look in that thong?”  His voice sounds all heated up and I’m seriously considering shoving Lexie off me before something unfortunate, not to mention awkward, happens and I’m no longer able to look this dude in the eyes ever again.

“Jeez, Lex, did you have to molest me while only wearing a thong?”  No wonder her boyfriend is all but sporting a woody over there.

“Be happy you didn’t arrive ten minutes later, I wouldn’t be wearing anything at all.”

I shake my head just a bit to loosen that mental image from my brain.  “That wasn’t something I really needed to know.”

Continuing to grin down at me, Lexie smacks my lips with a big wet sloppy kiss.  “Goddamn but I missed you, Ivy.”  Then she does her damnedest to squeeze the very life out of me before finally rolling gracefully to her side.

“I’m glad to be back, too.” Even as the words automatically spill from my mouth, I realize that I don’t necessarily mean them.  There’s a fairly large part of me that wishes I were still living my life in Paris.  With an ocean between me and my dad, I didn’t have to dwell on him and the new family he created for himself so quickly after my mom died.

My dad’s life carried on while mine fell apart.  And even though it’s been five years since she died, the ache still feels painfully tender.  What being back here at Barnett means is that I no longer have an excuse not to visit them.

Shaking those thoughts away, I realize I’m still sprawled out on the carpeted floor.  I blink my eyes a few times as a handsome face peers down at me before crinkling into a large friendly smile.  But I don’t bother hoisting myself up just yet.  Instead, I say in my most formal tone, “Mr. Sullivan, I presume.”

His grin intensifies, making him appear even more striking than I’d originally thought.  Lexie had, quite naturally, gushed about how gorgeous her new guy was.  And it’s not like I didn’t believe her, but… it’s quite obvious she wasn’t exaggerating.

Like at all.

Because Dylan Sullivan is seriously hot.

Golden blond hair, deep brown eyes, sculpted jaw, and athletic body.

And according to Lexie, he treats her like a total princess.  Which is exactly how it should be.  Lexie deserves someone who appreciates just how smart, loyal, and gorgeous she is.  She’s a damn good friend and I’m lucky to have her in my life.

“The one and only,” he beams in response, throwing a flirty little wink in for good measure.

Oh, this guy is totally dangerous all right…

Could they be more perfectly suited to one another?

I absolutely love it.

“Umm, isn’t your father Dylan Sullivan the first?”

He shrugs his big broad shoulders at Lexie’s question.  Self admittedly, I’m kind of a shoulder and arm girl myself.  And Dylan Sullivan certainly has nicely chiseled ones.

“Shhh, you’re ruining the moment, babe.”

That being said, Dylan offers me a big hand, which I grab hold of, before being immediately hauled off the floor and set back onto my sandaled feet.  I dust my backside off before my gaze slides back to Lexie.   The unexpected glassy sheen of tears shining in her big brown eyes has my own widening in confusion.

“Lex, why are you-”

I don’t even get a chance to wrap my lips around the last word before she’s once again hurtling herself in my direction.  Her arms slip quickly around my body before tugging me close.

“I missed you, Ivy-Girl,” she whispers fiercely against my ear, “so damn much!  Fifteen months is a long time to stay away.  Don’t ever leave me like that again.”

I’m not normally an emotional person, but her heartfelt words have me suddenly choking up.  I squeeze her to me, feeling just as happy to be back here with her as she is to have me.

Pulling back to search my eyes, she quietly admits, “I was afraid you might decide to stay over there.”

That just goes to show you how well Lexie knows me.  What I don’t mention is that I tried my damnedest to make that happen.  To finish out college, find a permanent place to live, a dance gig, all so I could postpone coming home indefinitely.  Because being back here, even though this is a new apartment, still reminds me that my mom is dead and my dad has moved on and I no longer have a home to return to.

Not one that feels like home used to feel.

“I’m just so glad you’re finally back.” 

“Me, too,” I whisper as hot licks of emotion prick the back of my eyes.  I hug her tightly one last time before finally releasing her.

Lexie and I have been best friends since fourth grade when her family moved in down the block from mine.  We made it through middle and high school with our friendship intact and decided to apply at some of the same colleges so we could room together.  Luckily Barnett was on both of our short lists.  It has a highly regarded fashion design program for Lexie and a kick ass dance program for me.

There’s absolutely no one in this world I can count on like Lexie Abbott.  I’m actually a little ashamed of myself for failing to remember that.  I guess in trying to escape all the painful memories, I forgot about the good stuff too.

Lexie backs up until she’s standing directly in front of Dylan.  As soon as she’s close enough, he wraps those huge arms around her before pulling her flush against the front of his body.  Looking ridiculously contented, he settles his chin on top of her head like he’s done it a hundred times before.

Like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

I can’t help but feel thrilled that Lexie has finally found someone who appreciates the amazing woman she’s grown into.

Unwilling to get anymore sappy than I already have, I shake my head.  “Do you two come with barf bags?  Because I’ve only been here for about ten minutes and you’re already making me sick to my stomach.”

They both flash big white cheesy grins at me.  I want to roll my eyes before sticking my finger down my throat like I’m going to puke.  “I suppose you’re going to be practically living here with us?”  Yep, I can already see how this is going to go.  Dylan will be our unofficial apartment mascot.

With big innocent eyes, she says, “Didn’t I mention that Dylan lives in the apartment next to us with two guys from the football team?”

“Nope,” I shake my head, “you definitely did not mention that.  I guess that makes things convenient.”

“Totally convenient,” Dylan adds with a sly grin aimed in my direction.

This time I actually do roll my eyes.  “So which room is mine?”

In her exuberance, Lexie all but jumps out of Dylan’s arms before leading me down a short hallway.  As I trail after her, I’m immediately reminded that she’s only wearing a thong.

I mean, sure, she has a great ass but still…

“Er, maybe you should put your shorts back on before you give me the grand tour.”  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dylan open his mouth.  My narrowed gaze slices to his.  “Don’t even say it,” I warn.

Biting her lip, Lexie stifles another laugh before dashing into her bedroom.  In twenty seconds flat she rejoins us sporting tiny white shorts.  Then she leads the way into a sunny little room before doing her best auto show model imitation as she gestures with wide sweeping movements to all the wonderful amenities my room has to offer.

She points towards the two large windows lining the wall.  “Look at all the gorgeous sunlight that pours in!”  Then she throws open the bi-fold closet doors.  “And a humongous closet for all the clothes you brought back from Paris.”  Her arms instantly drop to her sides as she quickly swivels towards me.  Her auto show model imitation is totally forgotten in lieu of possible new stylish European clothing.  “You did bring me back some clothes, right?”

For just a moment, my eyes travel around the room taking everything in.  It’s not huge by any means but after living in Paris, it sure feels like it is.  I’m used to about a third of the space.  So this feels pretty damn luxurious.  I can’t even imagine what I’m going to do with all this space to myself.  Then my eyes fall to the double sized mattress shoved up against the far wall and my heart actually swells with unfettered joy.