Irresistibly Yours (Oxford #1)
Lauren Layne
About the Book
Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes – and write circles around them, too. Cole usually likes his women flirty and curvy, but he takes a special interest in his skinny, sassy rival, if only to keep an eye on her. And soon, he can’t take his eyes off her.
Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys. Since she’s learned that wanting more usually leads to disappointment, Penelope’s resigned to sitting on the sidelines when it comes to love. So why does Cole make her want to get back in the game? The man is as arrogant as he is handsome. He probably sees her as nothing more than a barrier to his dream job. But when an unexpected kiss turns into a night of irresistible passion, Penelope has to figure out whether they’re just fooling around – or starting something real.
Want more fun, fresh, flirty and very sexy rom-com? Check out all the titles in the Oxford series: Irresistibly Yours, Playing For Keeps and Someone Like You.
Can a guy and a girl really be ‘just friends’? You won’t want to miss Lauren Layne’s sexy take on this timeless question in Blurred Lines.
For all of you who not so quietly demanded Cole’s story: This one’s for you.
Acknowledgments
Hey, readers! I’m going to be really honest here and say that I’ve been putting off writing the Acknowledgments section of this book. Why? Because it means that I’m at the end of Cole’s story! (Sniff!)
I’ve been waiting forever to watch Cole Sharpe fall in love, so typing “The End” was a little bit bittersweet! But chin up, because we’re going to see more of Cole and Penelope soon! They’ll be playing a very important role in Playing For Keeps (February 2016) and, of course, in sexy Lincoln’s story!
But, lest I get ahead of myself, I need to take a moment and thank all the people who made Cole’s story happen.
First, a big shout-out to you readers. It was you who first gave me the idea that maybe Cole Sharpe had a greater destiny than being just a funny secondary character in Love the One You’re With. You wield great power, not only in an author’s imagination, but with a publisher’s decision to buy a book. Cole and Penelope thank you for your enthusiasm!
Onward: Everyone, please bow to the amazing Sue Grimshaw, my fab editor. And I know some of you might be, like, “Dude, Lauren, you thank her in every book,” and to that I say, “Um, yeah, because she is a driving force behind every book!” This one in particular, she helped whip into shape, providing some delightful “What if…” questions that helped turn Cole and Penelope’s love story into something rather epic.
Next up, we need to talk about this cover, don’t we? Fabulous, right? I gasped the moment I saw it, because it was as though Lynn Andreozzi had jumped inside my imagination and pulled out my exact vision of Cole Sharpe. There really aren’t words to describe how much I love this cover.
I’m also going to need a dramatic slow clap for the rest of the unsung heroes on my publishing team. Gina, for being the bubbly cheerleader in the background, whose enthusiasm always makes me want to write better, faster, more! For the amazing publicist-guru, Ashleigh Heaton, because, lady, you are killing it, and I am so, so grateful for you. And for marketing whiz Erika Seyfried, for all the magic you cook up behind the scenes.
To my amazing assistant, Lisa…I don’t even know what to say other than sometimes it feels like you’ve saved my life! I really don’t know what I’d do without you. Thank you for taking care of All the Things so that I have more time to write.
For my family, especially my husband, for the love and support that just never quit.
And last, for my darling friends who helped keep my head above water as I was writing this book, especially Rachel Van Dyken, Jessica Lemmon, and Kristi Yanta. You get me.
Chapter 1
Cole had been watching the brunette for the better part of three innings.
Which was just wrong on a couple of levels.
For starters, it was a rare woman who could come between Cole Sharpe and baseball. Or between Cole and any sport, for that matter.
And at Yankee Stadium in particular, the game came first. Especially a game in which the Yankees were trying to establish early dominance over the Blue Jays in the American League East division.
Cole’s eyes should have been glued to the field. Not only because the Yankees were his team—he’d been a die-hard fan since his Little League days—but because Cole was a sportswriter. Come tomorrow morning, Cole would be expected to know the details of every single at bat.
And yet…
His eyes shifted once more to the narrow figure of the brunette as he took another sip of beer.
There was something about her that demanded a second look and at the same time, there was nothing about her. She was utterly, completely unremarkable.
And that was the other reason why Cole’s fascination with the woman made no sense.
Cole loved women almost as much as he loved sports, but this woman?
Cole liked women curvy, but this one was slim to the point of being skinny. There was no noticeable definition of her waist through her Jeter jersey. No womanly flare of her hips.