Taming Alec(4)

I shook my head. “You’re crazy. I’m not going to flirt with someone who acts like him.”

“I’m not telling you to flirt with him. I’m telling you to throw yourself at him like a cheap hooker,” Arie said calmly.

My mouth dropped open in shock. “Arie! You’re freaking insane!”

She didn’t seem fazed by my outburst. “What? It’s the truth. You need to make him want you. If you listen to me, that boy will be down on his knees, begging you to take him to bed in a matter of weeks. Once he does, you can laugh in his face and walk away.”

“That’s not me!” I practically shouted.

“Who cares? No offense, but you are boring. I’ve never seen such a squeaky-clean person in my life. You need to stop standing on the sidelines and dive into the game!”

“I’m in the game,” I said stubbornly. “My game just happens to be in a time-out. I don’t have time for guys right now. I’m focusing all my attention on my new job.”

“You’re always focusing on something else. High school and college were all about grades. Now, it’s your job. You’ve got to stop letting your goals keep you from having fun. I’m not asking you to settle down and marry someone. Just take time to actually enjoy life.”

I frowned. She had a point, not that I’d ever admit that to her. All I did was work. Even in college, I hadn’t gone out and partied like most of my friends. I’d spent my evenings studying or working on my homework in my dorm. I never truly enjoyed life.

“He’s not even interested in me, Arie. Yeah, he checked me out in the most disgusting way possible, but that doesn’t mean he’s interested in me.”

“He doesn’t have to be interested in you, dumbass. All he has to care about are your looks, and I promise, you have more than enough of those to keep him interested. Come on, let me teach you the ways of womanhood.” Arie pouted.

I sighed. “I’m not agreeing to this yet, okay? But if I do, what would you want me to do?”

She squealed and did a ridiculous happy dance in her seat. “We’ll start off simple, I swear. When you go home tonight, I want you to knock on his door and apologize for barging in on him last night. I’m sure he’ll be an ass about it, but don’t let that deter you. Keep calm, and above all else, don’t get mad. Just act embarrassed, and let him think he’s winning. Then, once he’s finished being an ass, try flirting with him.”

“I don’t even know how to flirt,” I said.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not that hard. All women know how to do it. We’re born with the flirting gene.”

“Apparently, I was skipped over for that one.”

“How did you ever manage to land boyfriends in high school, Bec? You’re impossible.”

I laughed. “Well, they came to me. It wasn’t like I was following them around with puppy dog eyes.”

“Look, just follow his lead. If he’s the type of guy you’ve made him out to be, I have no doubt that he’ll make the first move. Just go with it.”

“This is going to be an epic fail,” I mumbled.



I took a deep breath before knocking on Alec’s door. I shifted my weight from foot to foot as I waited for him to answer. Maybe if I were lucky, he wouldn’t be home. Then, I could go to my apartment and forget Arie’s ridiculous scheme. Maybe if I were really lucky, Alec would move out by tomorrow, and I’d never have to see him again.

I heard his door unlock. So much for luck.

The door swung open, and there he stood. I couldn’t help but stare. I’d found a few men attractive over the years, but none of them were even in the same league as him. His hair was still damp, probably from a recent shower, and curled a bit at the ends. My eyes dropped lower.

Dear Lord…

He wasn’t wearing a shirt. His body was still wet, and I watched as a drop of water slid down his bare skin to the top of his shorts. At least he was wearing those. I wasn’t sure what I would have done if he’d answered the door with only a towel around his waist.

“Are you finished staring at me yet? Or do you need a few more minutes?” he asked, his deep voice causing goose bumps to rise all over my skin.

The man was a walking orgasm.

My eyes snapped back up to his face. He was smirking. Somehow, I knew he would be. I felt my face heat, embarrassed that I’d been caught staring at him like that.

“I wanted to apologize for last night,” I blurted out.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

“About, you know, when I accidentally walked in on you while you were…well, you know. When I knocked on the door, it just swung open. I would never do something like that on purpose, I swear. I was just upset because your music was blaring in the middle of the night, and I was trying to sleep. Today was my first day at my new job, and I was just nervous over that, so I let my temper get the best of me. I was so embarrassed that I froze. I wasn’t watching you on purpose. It kind of just happened,” I rambled. Please, someone, put duct tape over my mouth.

His smirk turned into a full-out laugh. I looked away from him, too mortified to keep eye contact any longer.

He stopped laughing. “At least you got a good show, right?”

“I didn’t really see anything, I swear,” I mumbled, still not looking at him.