AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
Wanna go back to the beginning?
Flip the page to read the first chapter ofGot Me Hoping>
SNEAK PEEK AT GOT ME HOPING
It's just a one-night stand, they said. It'll be simple, no-strings fun, they said. They. Lied.
I'm done with love and being broken-hearted. The only dogs I want to deal with are the ones I treat in the veterinary clinic I work at.
But at thirty-four, having my first one-night stand can't hurt. Right? The rules are pretty simple.
1. Don't spend the night.
2. Don't see him again.
3. Don't share anything personal.
4. Don't fall in love with him.
But when Haze, the guy I spent a blazing hot night with and haven't been able to forget about, shows up as our new receptionist, the rules fly out the window.
There's no way one night could lead to anything more. So why has Haze got me hoping this might just last?
Got Me Hopingis book 1 in theVet Shop Boysseries and can be read as a stand-alone. Expect plenty of humor, found family, a vet who's almost given up on love, a soap-making chameleon, sizzling chemistry, an unexpected office romance, an adorable golden retriever, a foul-mouthed parrot, an eye-popping world first discovery, and a heartwarming happily ever after!
Chapter 1 - Noah
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back it up. You've never had a one-night stand?"
Three sets of eyes land on me like laser beams. The last thing I expected to be doing tonight is admittingthisto my friends and colleagues, especially during a drinking game I haven't played since my days in vet school.
"Why are we even playing Never Have I Ever?" I complain-grumble. "It's a stupid game that always devolves into sex."
"Uh, you just answered your own question there." Gus smirks at me. He's the boss and owner of Vet Shop Boys, the veterinary clinic Fulton, Chase, and I work at.
"No. I've never had a one-night stand," I admit. I try to play it off casually, like it's no big deal, but I can feel my cheeks heating up. I'm thirty-four and single, so why haven't I had one? I scratch the back of my neck. "Is that weird?"
Fulton's hand lands on my shoulder, his friendly eyes meeting mine. "No, it's not weird. You're just not wired that way, that's all."
Thankfully, that was our third and final shot for the evening. It's a Tuesday night, and all four of us are on the other side of thirty, so we know our limits. I downed two out of three drinks, revealing that I'd both skinny-dipped and had sex on a beach. So not a total prude.
"ShouldI have a one-night stand?" My eyes bulge. Dammit. I hadn't meant to ask that out loud.
"It's up to you, man." Chase shrugs before taking a sip of his drink. "I had a few in college before I met Julie and settled down. Some guys need to get that shit outta their system, you know?"
Gus nods. "There's no harm in trying, right? I mean, you don't want to be ninety, on your rocking chair with your husband by your side, and wondering what a one-night standcouldhave been like. Besides, it's just some simple, no-strings fun."
"Exactly," Chase chips in. "Nothing more. Nothing less."
I take a sip of bourbon and let their words settle over me. Gus resumes his conversation with Chase, who's telling him all about Miles the turtle who was brought in today with a small crack in his shell. Turns out the best thing to patch it up with is epoxy resin. Who knew?
I finish off my bourbon as my eyes sweep around the bar. It's pretty busy for a weeknight. We're sitting in what's become our usual booth, tucked away in the corner behind the pool table. The dance floor in the distance is silhouetted with bodies.
I guess you could say we're regulars here. Being a vet is the best job in the world, but sometimes it can get tough. It's not all cute puppies and cuddly kittens. So having a few drinks and socializing with one another is a good way to decompress and blow off some steam at the end of a long day.
"What's it really like?" I mutter to Fulton, who's sitting beside me.
