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265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
Cole was the right man for the job. The only man for the job.Penelope Pope is starting over, a new city, a new job, and a new attitude. She has always been one of the guys, and has learned the hard way – that wanting more usually ends with a broken heart. Specifically, her heart. So she has decided the friend-zone is where she belongs.
The reason she had insisted things not become romantic.While Cole is determined to get the job, he wasn’t expecting Penelope. She is easy going, fun and real. They quickly become friends, and Cole turns on the charm. When circumstances push these two together, they find themselves unable to fight their mutual attraction. I enjoyed Penelope and Cole, the progression of their relationship was perfect – friends, to a weekend hookup agreement, to more.
For Cole Sharpe, Penelope would have been one out of a million other women in his life.
For Penelope, Cole might have been one in a million. The only one.
"Weekdays, we’re colleagues. Weekends, we can be—”I enjoyed this one, it's a fluffy, fun read with minimal drama - love blooms when we least expect it.
“Fuck buddies.”
How had he ever thought a boring model-type could keep him happy? All he needed was a pint-sized baseball fan.
I will treat you with the respect you deserve at work, and then I will use your sweet body for sex AFTER work, but Penelope Pope, I give you my solemn promise not to fall in love with you."
How had this happened? How was it this sweet, feisty tomboy could turn him on just as easily as she turned him completely inside out every time she looked at him?
Penelope had no illusions about her place in the world of men: the friend zone.
...what are you after?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm out to be an expert on Penelope Pope. Because, despite your efforts to prove otherwise, I don't believe for one second that you don't want me.
You should know...I'm not very good at this," she said.
He smiled and ran a finger over her lower lip. "Don't worry. Because I'm VERY good at this."
He didn't know exactly what THIS was.
But whatever they decided to call it- or not call it- he could all too easily get used to it.
I thought you said you were no good at this," he growled.
"Guess I just needed to do it with the right guy."
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.
She could fall for this man.
She could so fall for him.
"I hear it's cloudy with a chance of popcorn showers."
He kissed her. He kissed Penelope Pope in the snow like his life depended on it.
Damn. She was cute.
"Dubliner on 82nd and Broadway in a half hour?"
There was something about her that demanded a second look but at the same time, there was nothing about her. She was utterly, completely unremarkable.
"I'm yours, Penelope. If you want me. Irresistibly yours."
books with << no cheating, a respectful guy, a heroine with a backbone and a hea?? >> yea i don't need to be told twice
p l o t
↳ Cole Sharpe and Penelope Poe are gunning for the same position at Oxford as a sports writer. the only problem? there is only one spot, and they both want it but with the irresistible pull between them, things are about to get a lot more hotter. Cole was sure he'd get the position but with his opponent being the brainiac and irresistible Penelope? maybe not.
"Ah, the cute brunette who’s gunning for your job."
"Not my job yet," Cole grumbled. “Unless you two know something…."
Lincoln held up his hands. "Dude, believe me, I’ve tried. Cassidy’s tight-lipped on this one."
"Tight-lipped about what?"
Cole didn’t even have to turn around to know that Cassidy was standing in the doorway.
"Is this what you guys do all day?" Cole asked the group. "Just loom around other people’s office doorways and eavesdrop?"
Penelope hadn't seen the kiss coming. She'd been more focused, on, well...pizza. And baseball
He held fast, refusing to move. "The thing is, Tiny….When it comes to you, I don’t have to decide. I don’t have to stop and think about if I want to kiss you. I know. I know every damn day when I see you put on mascara in the reflection of your computer moniter because you forgot to do it at home. I know when we go get coffee together and you can recite every single thing that happened on ESPN the night before. I know when I share my French fries with you at lunch and you eat all of them. I know-"
He tilted his head and kissed her, and then lingered. And tried very hard to ignore the sudden, forbidden thought that he wished every day could be exactly like this one.
When was the last time you've been decently kissed, Penelope?
I could torture you like this forever.
Those damn eyes of yours. They undo me.
Here's the thing, Tiny. A few months ago I made you a promise that I wouldn't fall in love with you.
I'm going to have to break that promise.
Cole frowned, his eyes moving around the room until they met Penelope’s. He lifted an eyebrow as though to ask Do you know what’s going on here?
Julie leaned toward Penelope with a knowing look on her face.
“Betcha Cole’s kisses are better than nice,” she said quietly.
“I wouldn’t know,” Penelope responded.
“Oh, but you will,” Julie said confidently, as she sat back and sipped her wine. “You will.”
"Ah, the cute brunette who’s gunning for your job.”
“Not my job yet,” Cole grumbled. “Unless you two know something….”
Lincoln held up his hands. “Dude, believe me, I’ve tried. Cassidy’s tight-lipped on this one.”
“Tight-lipped about what?”
Cole didn’t even have to turn around to know that Cassidy was standing in the doorway.
“Is this what you guys do all day?” Cole asked the group. “Just loom around other people’s office doorways and eavesdrop?”
"Thanks for the kiss,” Penelope called playfully after Lincoln. “I think head-holding is definitely-"
She broke off when she saw Alex Cassidy standing in the doorway. His expression gave away nothing, but there was no way he hadn’t heard her loudly thanking her colleague for a kiss.
Penelope felt a blush rise to her cheek as their boss looked around at the four of them.
“We were, ah, doing some research,” Lincoln said, scooting by Cassidy.
Jake followed Lincoln, holding up his left hand innocently as he did so. “Didn’t touch her. I’m married.”
Cassidy narrowed his eyes at the two men before shifting his attention back to Penelope, then to Cole.
Then he merely rolled his eyes and walked away.
Cassidy sighed. “Would you just sit down so we can do this damn interview?”
Cole eyed the door. “Do we have to do it now? You seem like you’re in a shitty mood."
“Of course I’m in a shitty mood,” Cassidy said, running a hand through his hair. “You just interrupted that woman’s interview. She could sue us.”
“Please,” Cole said with a scoff. “She wanted to go to coffee with me.”
“Only because she doesn’t know you,” Cassidy muttered.
“Yup, you’re definitely in a shitty mood. Maybe we should reschedule-"
“Sit,” Cassidy commanded.
He held fast, refusing to move. “The thing is, Tiny….When it comes to you, I don’t have to decide. I don’t have to stop and think about if I want to kiss you. I know. I know every damn day when I see you put on mascara in the reflection of your computer moniter because you forgot to do it at home. I know when we go get coffee together and you can recite every single thing that happened on ESPN the night before. I know when I share my French fries with you at lunch and you eat all of them. I know-"
He tilted his head and kissed her, and then lingered. And tried very hard to ignore the sudden, forbidden thought that he wished every day could be exactly like this one.
"You are so out of my league,” she said, scraping her nails over his bare chest.
His eyes slitted. “Not from where I’m sitting,” he said, his voice husky.
"But I am in an extra good mood,” she was saying. “Edgar’s alive.”
“Come again?” he said, following her into the living room where the TV blared the Boston/Toronto game. The Yankees were away, on the West Coast, so their game wouldn’t be on for another hour.
“Edgar,” she said, gesturing at the fishbowl. “My fish. I thought he was dead, because he didn’t eat his breakfast, and was just sort of floating there, but maybe he was only resting, because now he’s moving again.”
Penelope was staring down at the fish with an adoring look on her face, and Cole could have sworn that his heart squeezed.
So much damn affection for a fish.
Whether it was because he sensed the death glare from Cole or because of ingrained manners, Todd left Penelope’s side to shake Cole’s hand.
Cole might have shaken it harder than necessary. It was a clichéd move. Totally pathetic.
And absolutely unavoidable.
Cole did not like this man. He’d just now decided. Didn’t like his reddish hair. Didn’t like the preppy glasses. And his tie was the color of shit.
Penelope wouldn’t really date a man wearing a shit tie.
Would she?
***3.5 stars***
"I don't have any illusions about the fact that I'm a friend-zone kind of girl, and I'm okay with that. Plus, lucky for you, I'm a darn good friend."
“He finally figured out what made her so damn arresting. Penelope Pope was real.”
“You don’t have to worry that I’ll get the wrong idea about what this is because I won’t. But in return, you have to promise not to flirt.”
“How was it that everything was so simple with her? Even with this push-pull thing they had going on, the sometimes kissing, sometimes arguing, sometimes platonic mess they had on their hands.
“Kiss me back,” he said against her mouth. “Kiss me back, Penelope. Please.” It was the desperation in his voice that did her in.
“We Chicagoens are a bit more openly friendly than you New Yorkers.”
“I’m friendly,” he countered.
Tiny Brunette laughed. “No. You’re just incredibly charming and a smidgen good-looking.”
“Regardless,” Emma said, “we don’t need a dozen guys to get your mind off this Evan.”
“Nope, just one will do,” Julie said.
“The thing is, Tiny… When it comes to you, I don’t have to decide. I don’t have to stop and think about if I want to kiss you. I know.”
’Cole gave in to temptation then. Forgot about the whole kissing-in-hats-is-awkward thing. He tilted his head and kissed her, and then lingered. And tried very hard to ignore the sudden, forbidden thought that he wished every day could be exactly like this one.’
“Those damn eyes of yours,” he said roughly. “They undo me.”