The Boyfriend Project (The Boyfriend Project, #1)

by Farrah Rochon

“The Internet is amazing, isn’t it? One of my fellow Walking Dead tweeps retweeted this hilarious first date from hell into my timeline. Imagine my surprise when it turns out to be the exact first date I had, down to the volcano sushi roll.” “You have to admit that sushi roll is amazing,” Samiah said. “Incredible,” London agreed. Taylor pushed her plate toward them. “It’s the best. Dig in, ladies.”

Trendsetters was lucky to have him and they knew it. He’d made sure of it.

Dude be hella shadey

She had a pretty smile. And those light gray eyes were stunning. Daniel knew exactly what she was saying with those eyes, which is why he kept his expression intentionally neutral. It happened every time he started a new job, usually within a matter of hours. He could count on at least one or two new coworkers—male or female—to engage in some kind of behavior that broadcasted their interest.

Ok fucker You’re pretty We get it

Samiah looked up and had to remind herself to take a breath. Who’d ordered this midmorning snack in khakis and loafers?

“Yeah. Yeah, me too.” He hooked his thumb toward his desk. “Well, I don’t have an office, but you know, back to my cubicle. Desk,” he corrected. “It’s just a desk. No cubicles here, which is a little weird, but whatever.” Fuck. He was stammering like a scared teenage boy asking his dream girl out on a date.

She felt the smile that lit up his face in her very bones. Seriously? It’s just a smile. God, but it was such a great smile. He killed her with those dimples.

He scooped up a spoonful of hot fudge and moaned as he ate it. Her reaction to the sight of him slowly wrapping his tongue around the spoon was so wholly inappropriate for the workplace she had a mind to report herself to Human Resources.

He gave a slight nod, his eyes filled with understanding. “It’s nothing you don’t already know, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to remind you. We tend to forget how special we really are after something like this happens.” Did he have a guidebook to prep him with the exact words she needed to hear?

Oh my god Gurl He’s being so fucking cheesy thooo

“Because you’re not a chocolate fan. At least not when it comes to the granola bars. You like the ones with peanut butter.” He glanced up at her, his brown eyes glittering with irrepressible mischief. “Why do you think there’s always at least one waiting for you?” Samiah’s heart clutched. “You put a granola bar in the bowl for me?”

OH MY GOD UR FUCCKING ADORABLE

“You’ll see how you like those jogs along the river when the thermometer is nearing three digits.” “Aw, don’t tell me that.” Daniel groaned. “Just the other day I had to stop in the middle of my run and peel my shirt off.” Her gaze dropped to his chest. “That must have been nice.” Her horrified eyes shot back up to his face, wide with dismay. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?” He coughed, a feeble attempt to dislodge the desire clogging his throat. Daniel could feel the heat on his face rising. “Yeah, you did,” he said.

“You think you’re cute, don’t you?” she said. The moment she did, she wished she could snatch the words back. That delectable dip in his cheek appeared with the emergence of his smile. He advanced several steps and perched his hands on the edge of her desk. His eyes glittering with amusement, he said, “The question is, do you think I’m cute?”

Yes Yes absolutely Yes

“You will have something to eat, right? Even if you have to eat it at your desk?” “I was planning to grab a granola bar. Just an FYI. You know, in case you want to make sure there’s a peanut butter one in there.”

I’ve decided to use my time to work on something else. It’s something I’ve been toying with off and on for a few years now.” She turned to Taylor. “And I have you to thank for bringing it back to my attention.” “You are very welcome,” Taylor said. “Now what am I taking credit for?”

Daniel finished off the final number string, pressed ENTER, then sat back in his chair as he watched the coding he’d worked on all morning materialize into a flawlessly designed personnel management portal for one of Trendsetters’ smaller clients. Who would have thought accounting software could be so damn sexy?

“Those are some sharp threads, aren’t they?” “Did you just say sharp threads?” She laughed. “You listen to nineties rap music and talk like someone out of a seventies sitcom.” “Hey!” His injured look was cuteness personified. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I think it’s adorable.” “Now that’s interesting,” he replied, his voice dipping an octave. “I take it adorable is a good thing in your book?” Her gaze dropped to his mouth and the way it curved up ever so slightly at the edge. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded. “Adorable is a very good thing.”

Everyone else is career military, from my great-great-grandfather all the way down to my mom and dad.” “Your mom?” Samiah slammed both her palms on the table and gasped. “I can’t believe I just asked that. See how deep this patriarchal bullshit runs? Of course your mom was military. Why the hell wouldn’t she be?”

“Will you force me to ask the obvious question, or will you just spit it out already?” His laugh echoed around the empty office space. “I’m not sure which question is most obvious.” “Throw some answers my way and I’ll tell you if you’re hot or cold.”

“But, dammit, I like you.”

“Oh, there’s an Asian fusion place up near the Triangle that makes the best Korean short ribs. I’ve been craving them for ages.” “You’re joking, right?” Daniel said with a frown. “The only way we eat Korean is if I cook it.”

Absolutely done for

That’s six hundred a week! Twenty-four hundred a month.” “Yeah, not to brag, but I got all As in math,” London said. Taylor stuck her tongue out at her. “Well, I didn’t, so let me flex my quick addition skills for a minute.”

“I brought cupcakes. I figured if we use them as incentive, we’ll get more work done.” His brow arched as he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “I can think of a better incentive, but I guess cupcakes will work.”

Samiah was falling in love with the person she was when she was with him.

“We never actually defined slow. You drive a Mustang GTE. Your definition of slow has to be pretty close to mine.” “What’s your definition?” she said. “One more kiss like that and the clothes come off.”

She’d learned about the glasses only when he’d lost a contact during their hike in Bastrop last weekend. She’d asked him to keep wearing them because Daniel Collins in glasses

“You know I’m only agreeing to this because of those dimples, right? They’re pretty hard to resist.” “My best weapons, by far.” That already irresistible grin had the nerve to get even sexier. “Make that my second best.” Her stomach quivered, a shudder rushing through her as his bold assertion triggered an earth-shattering reaction throughout her bloodstream. Maybe they shouldn’t leave her condo after all.

“What about the headboard?” he asked. She pulled back slightly and stared at him. “Did I hear that correctly? Did you just promise me headboard-breaking sex?” His brow lifted in the sexiest way imaginable. “You got a problem with that?” Samiah flattened her palm against his chest and pushed him into her room. “Get in the bed.”

Her warm brown cheeks darkened even more. Making her blush gave him as much pleasure as cracking a case that had been cold for thirty years.

TAYLOR’D CONDITIONING

Oooh that’s good

“Go to her,” Quentin said. His head popped up. “Are you crazy? She would probably run me through with a knife.” “I’m sure she would feel justified in doing so,” Quentin said with a nod. “Just take the stab and keep going.