Publication date: April 15th, 2021
Synopsis:
Josh
I met the girl of my dreams in a church parking lot while my best friend was having sex in my truck. Her name was Layla and she was trying her hardest to ignore me, and them, from two parking spaces over. I swear, I've never seen someone so beautiful in my life. I've also never struggled to get the girl, but for some reason my foot and my mouth became friends that night in the worst of ways.
Cheesy pick up lines, that failed? Check.
Inability to form coherent sentences? Check.
Ego crushing let down? Yup. That happened too.
I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about Layla that sucks me in. I need to get to know her. Spend time with her. Make her mine. Who knows, maybe she will be the one to finally settle me down. That is, if I can convince her to give me the time of day.
Layla
Everything about Joshua Thomas screams, run away. His sharp jaw. Those vibrant eyes. Lush lips that have probably tasted every girl in this tiny town. I know better than to give him a chance, but knowing what I should do and listening are two different things. He makes my heart flutter in ways I thought only possible in Hallmark movies. He makes my legs shake from one look. I resisted him once. I don't know if I can do it again.
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Excerpt
"I texted you a few minutes ago," she says, turning her head to me when I lean against the side of the truck. "I don't feel much like partying anymore."
"Amanda's a bitch. You can't listen to a word she says."
"She's not a bitch, Josh. She's scared. I know you say that baby isn't yours, but she's holding on to a shred of hope that it is." Layla sighs and looks up at the stars again. "Are you going to marry her?"
"Fuck no." I drop the tailgate and climb onto the bed to sit beside her. "On the off chance that kid is mine, which it's not, I don't love her. Having a kid isn't a reason to get married."
Layla bites her lip, probably reading too deep into what I said. I don't love Layla, but I could one day. I like her enough, but it's too soon to cross that bridge.
"My parents don't love each other. They don't even like one another."
I cup Layla's cheek and force her to look at me. "That won't be me. My mother loved my dad so much, she never married again after he left us. Even though they didn't work out, I want a love like that. I want to be with someone that makes my heart race so fast it skips a beat. I want to wake up with that person, every day, and know that, no matter what, we've got each other's back. I want that person to be my best friend, because being partners isn't good enough. Amanda can never be that person to me."
Layla's quiet for a long time. I need her to speak. I'm going crazy in my head. Given enough time, she could be that person. What we have is special, she's got to know that. I don't want to lose her because of some batshit crazy pregnant chick.
"Those are some big shoes to fill."
I smile, relieved that she might want to fill them. "That's why I haven't dated in years. I never met anyone I thought was right for the job."
"And you think I am?"
"I think you could be." My hand slides from Layla's cheek to the base of her neck. I want to kiss her. To feel her body mold against mine. To hold her soft curves and let the fire that comes with her touch consume me.
But Layla pulls back. I laid my heart out there for nothing. My stomach drops to my feet. I don't bother to hide the downturn of my lips. Layla didn't break my heart. I may be falling for the girl, but I'm not that deep. She did put a chip in it that aches and reminds me why I don't put myself out there anymore.
"Take me home, Josh." She stands and hops off the tailgate. "Because I'd hate for our first time to be in a church parking lot."
I didn't expect that. My lips twitch, turning upward. "It would make a great story for our grandkids one day."
Layla smirks and punches my shoulder. "Don't get ahead of yourself. If you don't have the moves, there won't be any grandkids."
"Oh, I've got moves, baby." I jump over the side and open the passenger door. "Just you wait and see."
Bailey B is an up and coming New Adult author. She lives in Lehigh Acres Florida with her husband, twin girls, and two fur babies. She enjoys (but doesn't get to take part in because of her crazy daughters) the simple things like Disney+ binge watching, Netflix romcoms, reading and sleeping. She reads two or three books a week and thinks if narwhals are real animals that unicorns might be too.
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