Instant Attraction Read online

  Instant Attraction

  Lauren Blakely

  Contents

  Also By Lauren Blakely

  About

  Prologue

  1. Gavin

  2. Gavin

  3. Savannah

  4. Savannah

  Interlude

  5. Truly

  6. Jason

  Interlude

  7. Enzo

  8. Valerie

  9. Valerie

  Interlude

  10. Gavin

  11. Gavin

  12. Gavin

  13. Savannah

  Interlude

  14. Enzo

  15. Valerie

  16. Enzo

  17. Enzo

  Interlude

  18. Truly

  19. Jason

  20. Truly

  21. Jason

  Interlude

  22. Gavin

  23. Savannah

  Interlude

  24. Enzo

  25. Valerie

  26. Enzo

  Interlude

  27. Jason

  28. Truly

  Epilogue

  Also by Lauren Blakely

  Contact

  Also By Lauren Blakely

  Big Rock Series

  Big Rock

  Mister O

  Well Hung

  Full Package

  Joy Ride

  Hard Wood

  One Love Series

  The Sexy One

  The Only One

  The Hot One

  The Knocked Up Plan

  Come As You Are

  The Heartbreakers Series

  Once Upon a Real Good Time

  Once Upon a Sure Thing

  Once Upon a Wild Fling

  Sports Romance

  Most Valuable Playboy

  Most Likely to Score

  Lucky In Love Series

  Best Laid Plans

  The Feel Good Factor

  Nobody Does It Better

  Unzipped

  Always Satisfied Series

  Satisfaction Guaranteed

  Instant Gratification

  Never Have I Ever

  Overnight Service

  Special Delivery

  The Gift Series

  The Engagement Gift

  The Virgin Gift (coming soon)

  The Exclusive Gift (coming soon)

  Standalone

  Stud Finder

  The V Card

  Wanderlust

  Part-Time Lover

  The Real Deal

  Unbreak My Heart

  The Break-Up Album

  21 Stolen Kisses

  Out of Bounds

  Birthday Suit

  The Dating Proposal

  The Caught Up in Love Series

  Caught Up In Us

  Pretending He’s Mine

  Playing With Her Heart

  Stars In Their Eyes Duet

  My Charming Rival

  My Sexy Rival

  The No Regrets Series

  The Thrill of It

  The Start of Us

  Every Second With You

  The Seductive Nights Series

  First Night (Julia and Clay, prequel novella)

  Night After Night (Julia and Clay, book one)

  After This Night (Julia and Clay, book two)

  One More Night (Julia and Clay, book three)

  A Wildly Seductive Night (Julia and Clay novella, book 3.5)

  The Joy Delivered Duet

  Nights With Him (A standalone novel about Michelle and Jack)

  Forbidden Nights (A standalone novel about Nate and Casey)

  The Sinful Nights Series

  Sweet Sinful Nights

  Sinful Desire

  Sinful Longing

  Sinful Love

  The Fighting Fire Series

  Burn For Me (Smith and Jamie)

  Melt for Him (Megan and Becker)

  Consumed By You (Travis and Cara)

  The Jewel Series

  A two-book sexy contemporary romance series

  The Sapphire Affair

  The Sapphire Heist

  About

  Indulge in a standalone romance that tells the interwoven tale of three couples in New York City in a naughty modern fairy tale.

  And in this once upon a time tale, you’ll meet a circle of friends. There are friends who want to become lovers, colleagues who must resist an office romance, and fake dates that might turn into the real thing.

  But all those stories start with instant attraction…

  When hipster Gavin suddenly finds his best friend Savannah utterly irresistible…

  When charming Enzo thoroughly falls for taken successful, sophisticated Valerie though he’s contracted to work with her company…

  When Jason meets his best friend’s feisty and fun sister, Truly, for the first time…

  Grab your popcorn and devour this ensemble romance of three interconnected couples whose lives intersect as they fall in love.

  Prologue

  Once upon a time, in a land smack-dab in the center of everything worth mentioning, there lived a circle of friends.

  They were friends who hooked up with friends, with roomies, with best friends’ sisters, despite there being rules against such things. They hooked up with long-time crushes and with short-time acquaintances who became much more.

  Some got together quickly, and some took years. Some needed a road trip out of the city to make them let go and go for it. Others needed one night.

  And some need a little help from their friends. A little hint, a gentle nudge, and voilà!

  Love at first bang.

  What? This is a modern fairytale, and we like them a little dirtier—okay, a lot dirtier, full of flirty texts and sexy selfies, stolen moments, and dates that turn into sleepovers that turn into waking up in each other’s arms with the promise of pancakes.

  I’ve been lucky enough to live my love story—Spencer Holiday, the playboy who fell hard and fast for his best friend while pretending to be engaged to her. That’s me. Now I’m setting the stage for my friends with sexy fairytales of their own.

  Because everyone deserves a naughty love story.

  1

  Gavin

  Some things are undeniable from the get-go.

  You dig a band the first time you hear them.

  You prefer chocolate over vanilla.

  And you will never, ever want to be set up with someone your mother claims is a perfect match.

  My mother’s been on a set-up-her-son bender since my status shifted to single a few months ago, so I naturally presume when she calls me at midday on a Wednesday that she’s persisting with that plan of attack.

  I’m at work, so I step out of the booth of the recording studio owned by the indie label I work for. One of our bands is cranking on some new tunes. Marge Simpson’s face disappears from the screen as I swipe to answer the call.

  What can I say? Mom reminds me of the cartoon character. She doesn’t have blue hair, but she’s totally the woman in charge. Hence, Marge.

  “Hey, what’s up, Marge?”

  Also, her name is Marge, so she’ll never know it’s her nickname too. Yeah, I’m clever like that.

  “Gavin, I have amazingly exciting news!” It comes out like a song.

  I decide to toy with her since, well, that’s always fun to do. “You’re hosting a massive retirement party on a cruise ship that’s going to take you across the Atlantic Ocean and all the way around the coast of Norway, where you’ll finally meet that handsome Nordic man you’ve always been dreaming of?”

  “How dare you say that? I’ll be loyal to your father until the end.”

  “But someday, I know you’re going
to find that hot Viking guy. I’ve seen your book collection. The secret is out.”

  She tuts. “Your father is the hot Viking guy.”

  I run a hand over my chin. “True. He is where I get my strapping Nordic god looks from.”

  “And me. Don’t forget I contributed half of your handsomeness.”

  “Yes, my charming Greek heritage,” I say as I wander down the hall, running a hand through my dark hair.

  “Which brings me to the point of this call.”

  I arch a brow. “You want to discuss my heritage? Ma, is this when you tell me I’m the love child of a secret tryst you had on the Love Boat?”

  “Sweetheart, shh. It was on the HMS Shag at Sea.”

  I cringe. “One, I don’t want to know you shagged ever. Two, how did I not know you’ve seen Austin Powers?”

  “Everyone’s seen Austin Powers. Don’t be silly.” She takes a breath—the kind that signals she has big news to share. “In any case, back to your charm and my news. As you know, your sister is engaged, and I’m so excited that I’m throwing a party.”

  “Because she found somebody who wants to marry her? I know, it shocked me too,” I say, teasing.

  “Don’t talk that way about Gretchen. She’s very happy with Todd. And I’ve been thinking lately how wonderful it would be if you met someone who makes you as happy as Todd makes Gretchen. What do you think about that absolutely fantastic idea?”

  My mom and her matchmaking. She’s been relentless since I was in high school. She’d call me during college, suggesting different women in the dorms. After I graduated, she’d attempt it with ladies in the neighborhood. The fact that she set up my sister with her financial planner—Mom’s financial planner—has only fueled her belief that she knows how to mix and match her kids.

  “That’s great that Gretchen is so happy,” I say, attempting to steer the conversation.

  “Isn’t it?” Mom says, sighing happily. “And I just thought, love is in the air, so let’s grab it, bottle it, and make it work for you.”

  She’s not only driven by her past success—singular. She’s also convinced I’m failing in life without a partner. Admittedly, I did wash a red sock with my whites a few weeks ago, but I don’t think that’s proof that it’s time for me to settle down.

  And fine, my fridge only has mustard and beer inside it, but this is New York. No one has anything but condiments and booze in their homes.

  I’m not interested in locking down my options. And it’s not because I’m a player. I’m not banging a new woman each weekend. I had a steady girlfriend for several months until she took off recently.

  FOR ANOTHER GUY.

  Suffice to say, I’m not that interested in being matched with anyone. I’m not interested in commitments that might go up in flames. And I definitely don’t want to be blindsided ever again.

  Best to be single for now.

  I turn and pace the other way down the hall. “I don’t know that I’m really ready for a bottle of love, Mom. But that would make a fun title for a song.”

  “Yes, tell one of your bands. Because love makes people happy. You think you’re not ready, but of course it’s time for you. Let me set you up. I’m so good at it. You know, I did used to be an HR manager.”

  “I know, Mom. I was literally raised by you.”

  “And being an HR manager means I have excellent people skills,” she says, continuing to tout her setup abilities.

  I stop outside the studio, gazing in through the glass at the engineer and my empty chair. I’m one of the managers here, and I need to get back in there and manage. “Your people skills are the best, Mom. But that doesn’t mean I want to be set up.” I need to be firm with her or she’ll never let it go.

  She huffs. “How long are you going to be on this dating sabbatical?”

  “Mom, I appreciate your efforts, but I don’t have a clock. I’m going to be on the sabbatical as long as I need to be on the sabbatical.”

  “I understand, but I think it’s time for the sabbatical to end. And your sister’s engagement party would be a wonderful opportunity to say goodbye to your dating diet. I think Christine from Gretchen’s book club would be fantastic. She’s well-read and loves music. She’s perfect for you.”

  At first, I’m surprised she mentions Christine, but then I’m delighted because I can mess with my mom. “By loving music, I presume you mean the fact that she’s an avid Taylor Swift fan. And hey, Taylor kills it, but that’s the extent of Christine’s musical knowledge and interest. Also, she never reads the book club books. She admitted that to me.”

  “Hmm. How unusual.”

  “No, it’s quite usual. A lot of people fake it through book club. But don’t you want to know how I know this?”

  “How do you know those details about Christine?”

  I stop in my tracks and drop the mic. “You set me up with her like three years ago. It didn’t work out then.”

  “Ohhh.” A self-deprecating chuckle comes next. “Well, isn’t that proof I’m always thinking of my son? But you’re so insistent on saying no that it makes me wonder.” She says it like a detective assembling clues. “Are you seeing someone and haven’t told me yet?”

  Oh.

  Wow.

  Holy shit.

  She’s offering me an out. And all I can think is—take it. Just fucking take it.

  I don’t think. I jump. Right off that cliff—a hundred feet high and straight into the water. And as I’m falling into the cool blue, I tell her, “As a matter of fact, I am seeing someone.”

  When I say goodbye to Marge, I need to figure out who the hell that’s going to be.

  2

  Gavin

  Tonight, I’m having a beer with my best friend at our favorite bar in Williamsburg.

  “Now all I have to do is find someone to bring along to the engagement party,” I say as I thank the bartender for the IPA then take a drink.

  “How about your receptionist? She’s pretty fucking foxy,” Eddie offers, lifting his glass and knocking back some of his drink.

  I stare at him like he just suggested we shop for new bath towels. Eddie believes towels never age. “The receptionist at Glass Slipper is foxy?” I say. “She’s like fifty years old.”

  Eddie narrows his eyes. “And you don’t think fifty-year-old women are foxy? Don’t be ageist, Gav. Just because you’re twenty-nine doesn’t mean a fifty-year-old woman can’t be foxy.”

  I hold up my hand. “Okay, I am one hundred percent not ageist, but I just had no idea you had a thing for her.”

  He shoves a hand through his floppy hair. “Dude. I have a thing for pretty much every woman.”

  I laugh as I knock back some beer. “Yeah, that’s pretty much true.”

  Eddie is nondiscriminatory. It’s pretty simple to be Eddie.

  He stretches his arm across the back of the barstool. “Don’t avoid the issue. We need to discuss the fact that you’re an ageist. Do I need to take you to sensitivity training? I expected better of you, man.”

  I laugh. “Yes, please. Because it’s so insensitive not to consider Sally Jo as dating material on account of the fact that she has three grown kids. Also, she’s married.”

  He snaps his fingers, frowning. “Damn. All the good ones are taken.” His expression lights up again. “Hey, how about that stripper? Angelina. Or Angelica. Or Angel. Why don’t you take her to the party and pretend she’s your date?”

  I shoot him a look like he can’t be serious. “That was you who dated the lady-cop stripper. Not me. Don’t you remember your b-day?”

  He drops his jaw. “Shit. You’re right. I did date the stripper. And you know what? She was a sweetheart. A total doll.”

  “Also, her name was Lisa.”

  “Her real name was Lisa?”

  “No, her stripper name was Lisa.”

  “Ah, you’re right. Angel’s the woman who walked my friend’s ferret in Prospect Park. The stripper was Lisa. Sweet, leggy Lisa.”

 
I roll my eyes, laughing as I down more of the beer. “You dated her because she was a sweetheart? Is that what you want me to believe?”

  He sighs happily as a tune by The National floats through the neighborhood dive bar we frequent. “She was the kind of stripper you take home to Mom.”

  “I didn’t know there were strippers you took home to Mom. Also, this song rocks.”

  “The National always rocks. But don’t be talking music to distract me from your scathing words about women who work the pole.” He narrows his eyes at me. “There are all kinds of strippers. I’m not ashamed of taking one home to my mother.”

  “Because your mom runs an escort service. Your mom was the one who taught us about sex.” I laugh. “Like that wasn’t totally fucking weird.”

  “It was a little weird. I’ll give you that one, buddy. But she does quite well with her business. Also, she’s totally cool, and she would have no issue with you dating a stripper.”

  “My mother, on the other hand, is not at all like that. Even though she likes to be all pals and buddy-buddy. So I can’t take a stripper to my sister’s party. Which is fine, because I don’t actually want to.”