The What If Guy
A Guys Who Got Away Novel
Lauren Blakely
Little Dog Press
Contents
Also by Lauren Blakely
About
The What If Guy
Prologue
1. Bryn
2. Logan
3. Bryn
4. Logan
5. Bryn
6. Logan
7. Logan
8. Logan
9. Queen LaTofu
10. Bryn
11. Bryn
12. Logan
13. Logan
14. Bruce
15. Bryn
16. Bryn
17. Logan
18. Bryn
19. Bruce
20. Bryn
21. Logan
22. Bryn
23. Queen LaTofu
24. Logan
25. Bryn
26. Bryn
27. Logan
28. Logan
29. Bryn
30. Logan
31. Bruce
32. Bryn
33. Bryn
34. Logan
35. Bryn
36. Logan
Epilogue
Epilogue
Epilogue
Also by Lauren Blakely
Contact
Copyright © 2020 by Lauren Blakely
Cover Design by Helen Williams.
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This contemporary romance is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This book is licensed for your personal use only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with, especially if you enjoy sexy romance novels with alpha males. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Also by Lauren Blakely
Big Rock Series
Big Rock
Mister O
Well Hung
Full Package
Joy Ride
Hard Wood
* * *
The Guys Who Got Away Series
Dear Sexy Ex-Boyfriend
The What If Guy
Thanks for Last Night
* * *
The Guys Who Got Away Series MM Spin-Off
A Guy Walks Into My Bar
* * *
After Dark: The Gift Series
The Engagement Gift
The Virgin Gift
The Decadent Gift
* * *
After Dark: The Extravagant Series
One Night Only
One Exquisite Touch (Coming in October)
One Time Only (Coming in November)
Only One Dare (Coming in 2021)
* * *
The Heartbreakers Series
Once Upon a Real Good Time
Once Upon a Sure Thing
Once Upon a Wild Fling
* * *
Boyfriend Material
Asking For a Friend
Sex and Other Shiny Objects
One Night Stand-In
* * *
Lucky In Love Series
Best Laid Plans
The Feel Good Factor
Nobody Does It Better
Unzipped
* * *
Always Satisfied Series
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Instant Gratification
Overnight Service
Never Have I Ever
Special Delivery
* * *
The Sexy Suit Series
Lucky Suit
Birthday Suit
* * *
From Paris With Love
Wanderlust
Part-Time Lover
* * *
One Love Series
The Sexy One
The Only One
The Hot One
The Knocked Up Plan
Come As You Are
* * *
Sports Romance
Most Valuable Playboy
Most Likely to Score
* * *
Standalones
Stud Finder
The V Card
The Real Deal
Unbreak My Heart
The Break-Up Album
21 Stolen Kisses
Out of Bounds
* * *
The Caught Up in Love Series:
The Swoony New Reboot of the Contemporary Romance Series
The Pretending Plot (previously called Pretending He’s Mine)
The Dating Proposal
The Second Chance Plan (previously called Caught Up In Us)
The Private Rehearsal (previously called Playing With Her Heart)
* * *
Stars In Their Eyes Duet
My Charming Rival
My Sexy Rival
* * *
The No Regrets Series
The Start of Us
The Thrill of It
Every Second With You
* * *
The Seductive Nights Series
First Night (Julia and Clay, prequel novella)
Night After Night (Julia and Clay, book one)
After This Night (Julia and Clay, book two)
One More Night (Julia and Clay, book three)
A Wildly Seductive Night (Julia and Clay novella, book 3.5)
* * *
The Joy Delivered Duet
Nights With Him (A standalone novel about Michelle and Jack)
Forbidden Nights (A standalone novel about Nate and Casey)
* * *
The Sinful Nights Series
Sweet Sinful Nights
Sinful Desire
Sinful Longing
Sinful Love
* * *
The Fighting Fire Series
Burn For Me (Smith and Jamie)
Melt for Him (Megan and Becker)
Consumed By You (Travis and Cara)
* * *
The Jewel Series
A two-book sexy contemporary romance series
The Sapphire Affair
The Sapphire Heist
About
It should be an easy rule to follow - don't bang your boss...
* * *
But I didn't know who he was when I met him.
* * *
And the first time I saw him, our connection sounded like the stuff of romantic legends -- that whole "their eyes locked across a crowded room" moment that turned into more.I didn't believe it. . . . until it happened to me.
* * *
Fine, the charming, clever, sexy-as-sin guy in the tailored suit was only trying to buy the same Snoopy lunchbox (as a gift!), but still, our eyes totally locked, and my lady parts definitely tingled as we vied for the prize.
* * *
Naturally, I did what any badass business woman would do.
* * *
Negotiated for the lunchbox, then found my what-if guy online and made
plans to see him the next night.
* * *
One night only -- that was the deal we made.
* * *
But one fantastic night had us both changing our minds in the morning. And making plans for another.
* * *
Until I walked into the office to learn he just bought my company.
* * *
And here's the biggest rule of romantic legends -- no matter what, don't bang your boss.
* * *
Especially if you're already falling for him.
* * *
The What If Guy
By Lauren Blakely
* * *
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Prologue
Logan
* * *
Some things in life are hard, some are damn hard, and some might as well be impossible.
Snagging a dream job?
Tough, but I finagled it.
Raising a kid solo?
Anything but easy, but I must be doing something right, because mine is awesome.
But try meeting a woman when you’re in your thirties, a single dad with zero free time.
Wait. Make that a woman you like, who’s fun to talk to, and who’s not going to stab you in the back, or the spleen, or right in the heart with a jagged knife.
Now that’s a Herculean task.
I’m not sure it’s possible to find someone like that no matter who you are. You might call me jaded, but I prefer to think I’ve learned from my mistakes.
I live in the present, sure, but I don’t forget what life has taught me.
I’m careful. I’m cautious. And when it comes to my romantic life, I am as skeptical as a fact-checker, looking for hoaxes, lies, and emotional scams like it’s my job.
And that’s worked well for me.
Right up to the day I pop into a store to grab a gift for the most important person in my world. I know what I’m after. I should be in and out in a minute.
Instead, I lock eyes with the sexiest brunette I’ve ever seen.
And her hand is on the same Snoopy lunch box I want.
Game on.
Game fucking on.
I thought I knew what “tough” was. But I forgot that it’s when you assume you have life all figured out that it decides to make an ass out of you.
And I have a feeling I’m about to get schooled.
1
Bryn
From the very first line, I know.
This is it. This article will be perfect for impressing the new site owners next week.
Attention, cynics! “Their eyes locked across a crowded room” is not a lie. It’s based on science.
“See?” I tap my tablet, showing the piece to Teagan. “It’s not just a movie cliché or a romance novel trope. There is real science behind the power of the gaze.”
With a flip of her red hair, Teagan gives me a grin that could be a You know it, girl meme. “Love is science, and science is sexy.”
We shuffle closer to the front of the line at my favorite coffee joint in all of Manhattan, which happens to be next door to a delightfully quirky collectible shop I might need to hit up next.
“Truer words,” I agree. The science of love is one of the many topics we aim to tackle on the dating and relationship advice site where we work, with me in charge of content and Teagan handling social media. One of our writers submitted this article this morning, analyzing whether those much-derided romantic standbys hold water outside of rom-coms and chick flicks.
I’m not going to lie—when this article landed in my email inbox this morning, I crossed my heart, then offered prayers to the editorial goddesses. The good news is, so far, this article is killing it. I need for it to kill, dismember, and dispose of the body though. It has to be one of the best pieces we ever publish.
As I read on, strands of brown hair fall from my makeshift updo, and I tuck them back into the pencil that’s doubling as a hair accessory. “Want to know the ins and outs of why eye contact is so powerful?” I read aloud.
Teagan shoots me a naughty look. “I always want to know the ins and outs, baby.”
I mime a slam dunk with my free hand. “And that’s one innuendo for the redhead, and it’s only ten a.m.”
She wags a finger at me. “Hey! Don’t count me short. I innuendo’d the hell out of this coffee invite. What was it I said when you asked me if I was in the mood for a cup of joe?”
I slide into an imitation of my best friend. “‘Yes. A large. I always want a large one.’ So, I concede—that’s two so far for you today.”
“It’s a good day when I can get multiples.”
I pretend to drum a rim shot. “There she goes again, folks. Three and counting.”
She takes a bow. “Thank you.” Then another. “Thank you very much, my adoring, perverted fans.”
The pink-haired woman ahead of us scans the chalkboard menu, her horse-size ponytail swishing back and forth. “I’d like a hot white mocha with ten pumps of white mocha. And can you make it thick?” she asks the barista in a conspiratorial whisper.
Teagan’s eyes widen. Her mouth opens.
I point a warning finger at her, shaking my head. “Find the will to resist,” I murmur.
“Usually we recommend twelve pumps for maximum thickness,” the barista says, and I manage to keep it together when the pinkified gal says, a little giddily, “A dozen pumps it is.”
Teagan though?
She purses her lips tight, holding in the wisecrack. She’s a kettle about to boil, a balloon about to pop. She fights like hell, but this wide-open opportunity tests her resolve something fierce. It’s a valiant struggle, but the naughty play-by-play commentator KOs her better nature, and she blurts out, “That’s what she said!”
When Pinkie Pie spins around, shooting Teagan a did you really say that to a stranger stare, I clasp my friend’s shoulder and give the woman a contrite look. “Forgive her. She’s often mentally inhabited by a twelve-year-old boy.”
“Aren’t we all, now and then,” Pinkie says, offering a little tip, “But maybe you both should try a thick mocha, and you’ll see what you’re missing.”
She turns back to the counter, and Teagan whispers to me, “See? The world needs more bawdy humor.”
“Dick jokes, here we come,” I say, straight-faced.
Teagan pats my shoulder proudly. “That’s one innuendo for you, lady boss. Keep it up.”
With a slow and steady pace, I arch a brow. “Was that one or was it two?”
“Two. It counts as a double play.”
“Go me.” I return to the article, clearing my throat as I read on. I’ve been on the hunt for something grabby to run next week when the new management takes over—just to remind the bigwigs why they bought the site and how genius it is to keep all the employees on board. I need pieces that show off my staff’s talent and the insight that lures web traffic. “According to research, we perceive people who make eye contact as being intelligent and sincere . . . and we want eye contact to last for three seconds, but no more than nine. Also, we often experience physical reactions to those who make intense eye contact. Your pulse quickens, your skin prickles, your stomach flips,” I say as the barista finishes the multi-pumped drink for Pinkie Pie, who thanks him, waves goodbye to Teagan, and leaves.
Hmm.
Maybe I should test this eye-contact theory right now.
See if there’s anything to it. After all, it’s been a while, and I wouldn’t mind a stomach flip. Hell, I’d settle for a stomach wiggle.
Plus, the barista’s not bad looking. With strong cheekbones and full lips, he’s well within the certified hottie range.
The barista locks his blue eyes on me and asks what I’d li
ke. As I place my order, I wait for some sort of organ gymnastics—anything to prove the theory. But even though he’s handsome, and even though I do the eyeball tango for the allotted time, I’m not flooded with endorphins telling me to toss my panties at him.