Page 4 of A Novel Seduction

Unknown number: Enjoy your gift?

3

Drake propped up the pillows and reclined against the headboard of his bed, his cell phone in hand. He’d been checking it neurotically all afternoon to see if he’d gotten a message from Evie about the surprise he’d left her. It hadn’t been hard to figure out where she worked—all he’d had to do was a little Facebook stalking. Mrs. Patel in the front office was more than happy to play the role of courier for him too, which assured him that she wouldn’t leave for the weekend without it.

When he hadn’t heard from her, he went scrolling through his contacts list in hopes that he still had her number from college. When he found her name in his phone, he opened up a new message and then stared at the blank screen for a moment. His words needed to be perfect.

After typing something out, only to delete it and start over three or four times, he finally opted to keep it simple and hit send. He silently sent a little prayer that she still had this number and he wasn’t sending a semi-flirtatious text to a complete stranger. When his phone chimed with a response, his heart skipped a beat in anticipation.

Evie: Drake? How did you get my number?

Drake: You gave it to me at our first tutoring session. I take it this means I’m not still in your phone?

Evie: Guess not.

Drake: I’m kinda hurt. Bet you’d never delete Count Godfrey from your phone

Evie: It’s Godric, and he’s a Duke

Evie: I’m impressed you remembered the book

Drake: How could I forget it? It introduced me to a whole new side of literature…and you.

He couldn’t help but smile as he hit send, wondering if he made her blush. It wasn’t that he had no idea romance novels existed, but he’d never actually looked inside one to know exactly what it contained. And he never, ever would have guessed that cute, sweet, English-Lit major Evie would have been into them.

Evie: A side that was supposed to remain a secret.

Drake: Why?

Evie: Isn’t everyone allowed their secrets? You certainly weren’t forthcoming that it was you making the notes.

Drake: Did you like the notes?

When she didn’t respond right away, Drake second-guessed his question. Maybe she hadn’t enjoyed reading his comments and thoughts as much as he’d always imagined.

Drake: Evie?

Evie: Yes, I liked them very much.

Drake: How much?

Evie: Are you asking what I think you are…

Drake: I’m asking if you liked them. If they made you wish that it was me doing all those naughty things to you

He sucked in a breath, waiting on the answer. When he saw the little dancing dots indicating that she was typing something, his heart sped up. He wanted to know the answer like he needed his next breath.

Evie: Yes

Drake: Was it actually me you thought of? Or just some random admirer you conjured up in your mind?

The dancing dots appeared and disappeared a couple more times before he got his answer. But when he did, it took his breath away.

Evie: You

Drake: Did you touch yourself, thinking of me?

This time he didn’t have to wait on dots. Her answer appeared almost immediately.