Blind Date with a Book Boyfriend: a funny dramatic & steamy novella Read online

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  Everything’s Better With You

  “Everything's Better With You is a rare gem in the romance novel world. It has depth, great characters and a totally believable story line.”

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  Everything’s Better With Kimberly

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  Everything’s Better With Lisa

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  Also by lucy eden

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  Everything’s Better With You

  Everything’s Better With Kimberly

  Everything’s Better with Lisa

  Cherishing the Goddess

  An Angel for Daddy

  Bear with Me

  Resolutions

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  Cover Design & formatting: Lucy Eden

  Editor: A.K Edits

  Proofreader: Judy’s Proofreading

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  Copyright © 2020 by Lucy Eden

  All rights reserved.

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  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status of products referred to in this book and acknowledges the trademarks have been used without permission.

  This book is intended for mature, adult audiences only. It contains extremely sexually explicit and graphic scenes and language which may be considered offensive by some readers.

  This book is strictly intended for those over the age of 18.

  All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older. All acts of a sexual nature are completely consensual.

  Every story is for my mom, who made me fall in love with reading & Ms. K, who made me fall in love with writing.

  Blind Date with a Book Boyfriend

  For Content Warnings (with spoilers) for all my books, please visit:

  lucyeden.com/cw

  Hi, I’m Jordyn. I flew from New York to Culver City, CA to interview for the job of a lifetime.

  When I walked into The Bookstore, I only wanted a steamy romance or two to help pass the time before my big meeting.

  I walked out with a gorgeous and sweet, cinnamon roll who was more funny and charming than all of my favorite book boyfriends combined, which definitely wasn’t the plan.

  But Mike was irresistible, and the time we spent together exploring Culver City was more fun than I’ve had in a long time.

  But I’m smart enough to know if something feels to good too be true, it probably is.

  I mean, Happily Ever Afters are just for fairy tales and romance novels … right?

  Blind Date with a Book Boyfriend

  a funny dramatic & steamy novella

  lucy eden

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Also by lucy eden

  Bonus Chapter

  Bonus Chapter

  bonus chapter

  An Angel for Daddy

  Resolutions

  Bear with Me

  About the Author

  1

  “He wanted a wife.

  She wanted to get paid for making a wedding dress.”

  I flipped the brown paper–wrapped book over and tested its weight. Then flipped it over to read the label again. The words were printed on a hello my name is label.

  The label on the display read “Blind Date with a Book” and was filled with wrapped books labeled with vague descriptions. The idea of any sort of blind date wasn’t one that would normally appeal to me, but that was the old Jordyn Robbins. The new Jordyn Robbins got on an airplane by herself for a final interview at her dream job. The same dream job that would potentially take her away from her loving but overprotective parents and let her experience a type of freedom she wouldn’t have in New York. The old Jordyn would never just buy a random book without knowing if she’d be spending the next five hours of her life with a duke, a billionaire, or bear shifter, but the new Jordyn—

  “The Duchess Deal,” a deep voice called over my shoulder interrupting my train of thought.

  “What?” I whipped around to face the person who I already knew was the most annoying person in the world, because no one comes to a bookstore to chat. Then I saw his face, and my mouth went dry. He was a tall, strikingly handsome guy who was smiling at me with stubbly dimpled cheeks, warm brown eyes, and a summer tan though it was winter. Was it winter here?

  When I got on the plane at JFK, it was thirty-two degrees. When I got off the plane at LAX, it was seventy-nine. Do they have seasons here if it’s in the seventies all year? These were things I would have to figure out if I was going to live here, but I was getting ahead of myself. I’d have to get through the interview first. I also realized that I’d been staring at Mr. Duchess Deal for an uncomfortably long time, and…yep, my mouth was open. I closed it and repeated myself.

  “What?”

  “The book you’re holding.” He jerked his chin at the brown paper packaging. “It’s The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare.”

  “Oh.” I’d already read that one. I looked down at my hand, replaced the book on the shelf, and picked up another one.

  “The Princess Trap,” he replied. I furrowed my brow at him and smiled.

  “Who are you, the ghost of book boyfriends past?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. He responded with a deep chuckle that was contagious.

  “No,” he said in a sigh, followed by a smaller chuckle. “I’m just a guy who reads a lot of romance novels.”

  “Huh.” I nodded suspiciously. My initial guess was that this man was buying a gift for a wife or girlfriend. Maybe I was being sexist. Why can’t men read romance novels? They’re good. But to be sure, I glanced at his left hand, no ring.

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “No,” I lied. He raised a
skeptical eyebrow. “Okay, a little. I’ve never met a guy who reads romance novels.”

  “Well, I’m honored to be your first.” He grinned.

  “Excuse me?” I glared at him. His smile dropped.

  “No,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I’m sorry. I was trying to be charming, not creepy.”

  He reached up to tousle his messy dark brown hair, and his face flushed.

  “Hi,” a female voice called between us. We looked over to see one of the store’s employees. She glared at the book whisperer before she turned to address me.

  “Can I help you find something?” She gave me the pointed look that every woman knows is code for Is this asshole bothering you, because I have a bat and a shovel?

  I smiled at Mr. Princess Trap, who somehow looked more embarrassed than he did before my would-be rescuer showed up.

  “No, I’m fine. Thanks.” I smiled at her.

  She turned to him. “Can I help you find something?”

  “No, I’m good. Thank you.”

  She walked towards the front of the store, straightening a stack of books on her way.

  “Okay, that was awkward.” His hand moved to the back of his neck and some of the color in his cheeks started to recede.

  “What was awkward? Being asked if you needed help in a bookstore, or making virginity jokes with a stranger?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Um, both, but probably the second one...way more than the first.”

  I tucked my lips between my teeth to stifle a chuckle. He saw my reaction and smiled again.

  “So, tell me about your first time,” I said with a smirk. His smile faltered, and his shocked expression made me laugh again. “Reading a romance novel.”

  He narrowed his eyes at me, and his lips curled into a smile. “That’s not fair. You get to make half-baked virginity jokes and I don’t?”

  “I don’t make the rules.” I shrugged.

  “Well, my buddy’s marriage was in trouble.” He sighed and I felt my heart tug. “So a bunch of us guys started reading romance novels to help him win his wife back.” That was incredibly sweet and somehow vaguely familiar, but I didn’t know why. “He’s a famous baseball player and he was away all the time—”

  “Are you Kaiser Söze-ing me?”

  “What? No?” He smiled.

  “Really, because that’s definitely the plot of The Bromance Book Club.” I pointed to the Lyssa Kay Adams book on the shelf next to him.

  “Fine.” He raised is hands in surrender. “My older sister was obsessed with romance novels. So one day, I think she was sixteen and I was about twelve, I asked her what she was reading and she threw a shoe at me and told me to mind my own business, and naturally, I was curious. So, when she went out with her friends that night I snuck in her room and grabbed one.” His face spread in a nostalgic grin. “I finished the whole thing in one night. I didn’t sleep. Then I found out there were three more in the series and I spent the weekend reading those. Then, I spent the next two years sneaking romance novels out of her bedroom until she caught me. Then we started reading them together.” He shrugged.

  “That sounds adorable and not at all like the plot of a romance novel.”

  “It’s true. I promise.” He traced an X with his finger over the chest of his black t-shirt. “I’m Mike, by the way.” He smiled at me with his eyebrows raised, waiting for a response.

  “Jordyn,” I responded.

  “Well, Jordyn. You know all about my family. You’ve discovered one of my deepest, darkest secrets. Plus, you’ve seen my embarrassed face. And I know almost nothing about you, besides the fact that you also read romance novels and you must have the same odd sense of humor as I do or you would’ve walked away by now.” He smiled again, and I snorted a laugh.

  I began to weigh my options. I was in a strange city for a few days preparing for one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my adult life. Maybe I could give in to Mike’s terrible flirting. The plan was to buy a few books to take my mind off of the interview, but spending the last twenty minutes with a real live romance hero was doing the trick. What was the danger in a little harmless conversation?

  “What do you want to know?” I asked.

  “Do you come here often?”

  “Wow,” I chuckled. “You are really bad at flirting.”

  “Whoa. Slow down, Jordyn. Flirting? Really? You’re coming on a little strong.”

  I laughed again. “Well, this is actually my first time here. It’s actually my first time in California. I’m here for a few days for a work thing.”

  His eyes widened.

  “Okay, I’m not gonna make a bad joke.” He caught my skeptical expression, then added, “I’m not gonna make another bad joke, but if you’re not busy, you should let me take you to lunch.”

  I tucked my bottom lip in between my teeth and bit down, trying to buy myself time. I tried to think. I’ve read enough romance novels to think that this was a great idea, but I’ve also listened to enough episodes of My Favorite Murder to think the exact opposite.

  “I can tell you’re on the fence, so why don’t we let fate decide?”

  “Okay, what do you have in mind?”

  “You pick any one of these books.” He gestured to the display of mystery books. “If I can guess which one it is, you’ll let me take you to lunch…at a very public place.”

  I glanced at Mike for a few seconds before answering. I’m not sure why because I’d already made up my mind to say yes. My hesitation didn’t come from the prospect of hanging out with a cute guy for a few hours. It was this cute guy with his terrible jokes, clumsy flirting, and maybe his dimples. My heart was beating out of my chest, and my belly was doing little fluttery things. It wasn’t normal to feel this way about someone you just met.

  Was it?

  I was a grown woman who could spend a couple of hours with a friendly—and sexy—man and not make a big deal about it.

  “Fine.” I nodded, and he flashed me a grin. “But this isn’t a date.”

  “Whoa, Jordyn. Slow down. Seriously.” He held up his hands in defense and smirked.

  I narrowed my eyes at him before scouring the display for the book with the vaguest explanation.

  I held it up for inspection.

  “Hmmm.” Mike scratched his stubbled cheek, deep in thought.

  2

  “How did you know?”

  Mike and I were walking down the sidewalk, and I was swinging the brown paper shopping bag full of books that I hoped I wouldn’t have time to read before I left for New York.

  “Come on… Indigo? That’s a classic. Who hasn’t read that book?” He laughed. “It was almost too easy.” He shot me a suspicious look. “It’s almost as if you wanted me to guess correctly so we could go on this not a date date.”

  “No, I was really trying to stump you. I obviously underestimated my opponent.” That was mostly true. Secretly, I was hoping he would guess correctly. Mike sparked something in me. Was it curiosity or the same longing for change that drew me to California in the first place? Whatever it was I wanted to follow where it led. I looked up at him and he smiled. My stomach did a flip that could have been attributed to hunger, but I suspected it wasn’t.

  “Well, sometimes being underestimated is a good thing.” He laughed and reached for my shopping bag. “Hey, let me carry those.”

  “No.” I held the bag out of his reach, shivering at his touch when his fingertips brushed the back of my hand. “You insisted on paying for them. At least let me carry them.”

  “Fine.”

  We walked along the tree-lined streets in silence, letting the warm breeze caress our faces. The silence wasn’t awkward but comfortable. I still hadn’t told Mike anything about myself, but I wanted to. I also felt safe with him. I could only imagine what my parents would say if I told them I met a strange guy in a bookstore and left with him. I wonder if this is how it feels when you meet the person you will eventually fall in love with, or wh
en you meet the person who is about to murder you. I imagined the salesperson telling the police, “I knew something was off with that dude, but she left with him anyway. Tragic!” She tried to rescue me, but I was led out of the store and to my death by dimples.

  “Hey.” Mike’s voice interrupted my chain of thought. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” I laughed, “why?”

  “You seemed a little out of it for a second.”

  “What? No. Just got stuck daydreaming.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He smiled, and his deadly dimples returned. “What were you daydreaming about?”

  “Nothing.” I tried for an innocent smile.

  “Come on, tell me. You’re still a complete mystery, Jordyn. I’m feeling a little exposed.”

  We stopped at an intersection of a busy road, waiting for the light to change. I turned to face him.

  “I was wondering if you were a serial killer,” I blurted out and raised my eyebrows to look up at him. His eyes went wide, and he barked out a laugh. He definitely wasn’t expecting me to say that.

  “Wow. Okay.” He laughed. “I’m not a serial killer, but if I was, I probably wouldn’t tell you… Wait, how many people would I need to have killed to make me a serial killer?”

  “Three,” I replied with a giggle.

  “Okay, then I’m definitely not a serial killer.” He put his hand on his chest in mock relief and I rolled my eyes, trying to suppress a laugh.