Willing Me Him

By Kelly Gendron

Theo Nash makes women want to take him home to show off everything they’ve learned in the bedroom all in one night.

Our senior year, my twin brother was diagnosed with a rare bone disease.
Two years later, we lost him.
He left our little brother his skateboard collection.
Mom got his cherished camera.
And me?
He left me his cocky, button-pushing, skirt-chasing best friend
THEO NASH
He not only left me Theo.
He left instructions!
Take my brother’s place as Theo’s best friend for the next five years!
My time is almost up.
And I haven’t fallen victim to his
​sexy little smiles or his not to be ignored eyes.
NOW
I just need to get through the weekend
with him as my fake boyfriend...
​
✓ Friends to Lovers
✓ Best Friend’s Sister
✓ Secrets
✓ Fake Boyfriend
✓ Steamy HEA
✓ Standalone

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelly Gendron
• Release date: Nov 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005419745

Kelly Gendron

USA Today Bestselling Author, Kelly Gendron is best found tucked away in a quiet suburb in upstate NY writing her steamy, blush producing contemporary romances. But, when she’s not creating HEA stories, you might find her helping out her hubby in his workshop. He’s good with his hands and great with wood! If you Google Kelly, she’ll pop up there as well. And please google her. Kelly loves to hear from her readers and to meet new people!

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Jody

NASH: Please save me. I’m at Raise Your Glass.

I roll my eyes at the text as another chimes in.

NASH: Last time PROMISE!

He’s damn right. This is the last time!

I’m done saving Theo Nash’s ass —no matter how nice it might be, according to the women in Little Rock— from another one of his failed online dates.

It’s becoming a frequent thing with the jerk.

He’s twenty-five!

It’s time for him to grow up, settle down, and give the thing between his legs a rest.

I walk into the local stomping ground for college students, recent grads, and college dropouts who can’t move on with their lives.

I spot Nash’s green eyes from across the room.

You know how some lights are brighter than others?

Well, the lumens in Theo’s eyes are high voltage.

They glow.

It makes them challenging to stare into, so I don’t do it for too long.

Only women who don’t know him, like the one with the shiny blond hair sitting next to him, would dare to bear the glare to look into the eyes of the devil himself.

And my brother.

Joey did it without pause. He loved the pompous ass.

Joey’s why I’m here and not home in my comfy clothes.

Jody. Nash sits up straight in the booth, eyes wide and mouth partially open. What are you doing here? Is everything okay—

Oh, stop it. I wave a hand to shut his fake ass down. Hi! I turn to the girl. What’s your name?

The blonde tilts her head and looks up at me. Haley.

Hi, Haley. I’m Theo’s best friend, Jody.

Oh, hi. It’s nice to meet you. She smiles, perking up more in the seat.

Her sweet expression appears genuine, like it really is nice to meet me.

Dammit. I kinda feel bad for what I’m about to do.

Yeah, it’s nice to meet you too. I nod, flashing annoyed eyes at my so-called best friend.

Nash smiles back as if amused. Ugh, the man infuriates me!

Listen, Haley. I sway back to Nash’s date. I’m exhausted. I just finished a three-alarm fire that’s kept me up now for the past thirty hours—

You’re a firefighter, she gasps, flashing her low-voltage eyes at Nash and me. That’s awesome! She touches her impressive chest. Thank you for your services. My aunt had a fire at her house a few years ago, and if it weren’t for the firefighter who risked his life to save hers, she wouldn’t be with us today. I love Aunt Jackie. She’s one of those people you can’t help but like, you know what I mean? She looks up at me with unadulterated admiration.

Shit. I groan under my breath. I just want to go home. Okay, you seem like a good person, Haley. So I’m not going to make up some lame excuse or sugarcoat this for you. Your date called me here to give him an excuse to get out of this little meet and greet. Now, I know he’s sort of cute with that baby face and all. It melts most hearts. Excluding my own, of course. I smirk at Nash’s smooth grin.

Dammit, does anything affect him?

He's always so cool, calm, and collected, and that damn grin. It leaves you wondering what’s really going on in that arrogant head of his.

And while some may want to investigate, I do not.

But I can, without a doubt—I turn back to the poor girl—guarantee this man is not boyfriend material. So if you’re on this date tonight, thinking you’ll get something like that from him, well, it’s not going to happen. I grimace at her unblinking eyes. If not… I pause, waiting for a blink, but when none comes, I continue to make my point. And you’re looking to get laid. I can’t tell you if he’s any good in bed. I touch my less endowed chest. I’ve never gone there. But, I’d say, why not. He’s nice enough to look at.

Nash’s eyebrow rises, like when I showed him my second toe on my left foot, unsure if he wants to laugh or freak out.

I was born with no nail there.

Needless to say, I wasn’t a big fan of flip-flops or sandals.

Not until, one night, after a few beers and some pizza, Nash drew a toenail where there was supposed to be one.

The following month, I had one tattooed there.

Ya know, one of those 3-D tattoos, and the artist did an excellent job!

At a glance, it looks sort of natural.

I wear flip-flops now.

Have about six pairs.

And that tiny tattoo led to a couple more…okay, a few more.

The only one I have second thoughts about is the one on the inside of my forearm.

It’s the date of my twin brother’s death. I choke up every time someone asks me about it.

Explaining Theo Nash is difficult as well, especially to myself.

Have you ever turned down a road and asked yourself why you’re on it and where the hell it's supposed to take you?

I smirk at whatever look he’s tossing my way.

He is nice to look at, Haley agrees with a nod.

Nash stretches his arms out across the back of the booth, and his muscles pop out from beneath his short sleeves. Yes, he may have a babyface, but don’t let that fool you. He is one-hundred-percent man.

Thank you, ladies, he says in his deep-smooth, alcohol-induced voice.

I hate the tone. It twists something weird inside my stomach.

I’m glad you both find me attractive. His eyes lift from Haley’s to mine. And, Walker, if you’re interested, there’s more than enough of me to go around for the both of you.

I snort, not caring how it sounds. If I wasn’t sleep deprived, I’d laugh at that, but I don’t have the strength to put up with your shit tonight.

Haley stands. Especially after she’s been putting out fires and saving lives all night.

Yeah. I nod, liking the girl more by the second.

Hey, maybe if I had friends, I’d make her one.

But I don’t.

Between being a volunteer firefighter, working full-time developing apps, and Nash, I have little time for anything else.

Nash takes up most of my extra time.

He’s very needy in his own inconspicuous way.

I don’t know how my brother put up with him all through school.

I’m almost done with Theo Nash, though.

Three more months and my commitment is over.

My brother was very specific in his will.

Yes, my twin brother left me his best friend in his will. It’s not like he didn’t leave an escape route. On the fifth anniversary of his death, I can bow out of the commitment…if I want.

Yeah, he wrote that in the will. Why wouldn’t I want to? Everyone knows how hard it is for the opposite sexes to carry on a sexless relationship. Thankfully, I haven’t fallen down that rabbit hole.

Miffy, the cat, and her owner were very grateful, I say.

I’m happy to hear that. Haley’s eyes flash from low voltage to medium as she takes a step toward me. I’m glad your best friend called you here tonight. Now, I’m not really interested in him. Her eyes roll over me in a new way. But I’d like to get to know you better. So if you’re interested, your BFF here—she tilts her head at Nash, but her eyes remain fixed on mine—has my number.

I hold my closed-mouth smile, hearing Nash snickering in the background as I follow the blonde with only my eyes toward the door.

Damn, Nash whistles.

Don’t! I grind out between clenched teeth.

She’s got a great ass. He chuckles.

I snap my eyes to his. Having second thoughts?

Nah. He grins, slumping back into the booth. She’s pretty but not for me.

Oh, yeah, that’s right. If they don’t make you shake all over, then you don’t want them. What parts weren’t shaking this time?

My hands, left ass cheek, and oh, let’s see… He looks up at the ceiling. My right eyebrow—

I raise my hand to cut him off. Okay, I get it. If anything, even after working all day, Nash gets my exhausted body to push out a chuckle.

His head lowers, and his eyes swipe over my soot-stained red firehouse T-shirt and jeans.

He picks up his cell and punches it with his fingertip.

There. He drops it back on the table.

I hear my phone ding.

I sent you Nice Ass’s number. He laughs. Maybe she’ll get your left ass cheek to jiggle a little.

How many times do I have to tell you? Just because my twin was gay doesn’t mean…ya know what. I shake my head. Never mind. You’re a dick.

Oh-ho. You've got a girl crush. He sings the words, likely looking adorable as ever to any girl who doesn’t know him.

I roll my eyes. That’s not what the song means. She’s got a crush on the girl because she wants to be like her because the guy she wants wants that girl. Ya know what? I raise a defeated hand. "I stand corrected. You’re a dickhead."

He holds his smile, and I swear the glow in his eyes turns brighter.

Come on, Walker. Sit down. You’re so tense all the time. Relax for a change, and let me buy you a beer. He nudges his chin at the empty seat across from him, ignoring my name-calling. It’s the least I can do for saving this dickhead’s unshakeable ass.

I’m exhausted. I just want to go home, take a shower, and crash.

He stares up at me with those glowing green eyes encased in long dark eyelashes.

I’m primarily unaffected by them. He’s like a brother to me.

If I didn’t feel that way, I might fall victim to his charming sex appeal and his bad-boy swagger that seems to make women want to take him home and show him all they’ve learned from their sexual experiences in one night.

All right, Walker. He lifts his beer. I’ll let you win this one.

You wish you had the ability to ‘let’ me do anything. I do what I want and when I want. And, right now, I’m going home to go to bed.

Yes, because I’m letting you. He laughs.

I glance at the half-full drink left by his date on the table in front of me.

His eyes follow mine, recognizing the threat. It wouldn’t be the first time Nash got a drink in the face at a bar.

Okay. Okay. He lifts a defeated hand. I’ll see you Tuesday. He tilts his bottle at me. Homemade pizza, right?

My gaze skims past his flexed bicep to his near-perfect mouth, minus the tiny scar on his bottom lip that’s about to wrap around the beer bottle in his hand.

I dismiss the awkward tug between my legs.

Yeah. I press my lips together, willing myself not to imagine what they’d feel like against his.

Shaking the thought off, I give him a half-assed wave and leave the bar.

Dammit. I hate to admit it, but I look at Nash differently since I lost my virginity to my ex-boyfriend, Todd Reilly.

He’s not just the pain-in-the-ass friend my brother left for me to watch over.

If I’m being honest with myself and only myself, he’s a hot-as-sin pain in the ass.

Todd and I split up ten months ago.

I haven’t been with anyone since.

That might be why I keep imagining what it would feel like to have sex with Nash.

He’s the only guy around.

Well, besides Dillon Wesley, my persistent coworker.

He keeps asking me out.

I’ve made every attempt to fend him off, short of telling him the truth that I’m just not interested. Attempts that involve Nash, and he doesn’t know it.

Oh well, if Nash can use me to ward off his online disasters, then I can use him to stave off my in-person coworkers.

CHAPTER TWO

Nash

I’m at the store. Hey, what’s a good yogurt?

Theodore Nash, did you hear what I said? She’s not doing good. You should go see her.

I haven’t been to Nashville in ten years, and I have no plans to return now. I stop in front of the cooler.

But she’s family.

I scan the variety of yogurts. Who thought it’d be this difficult to pick one?

You’re my family, Aunt Lauren. I grab a container. What about Dannon? That’s a good one, right?

I check the calories. Jody is big on watching her count. Not that she needs to worry about anything. She’s got the kind of curves most guys like.

My aunt sighs through my cell. What do you want the yogurt for?

Homemade pizza. Jody’s got a recipe for one that takes two ingredients, plain yogurt and flour but the self-rising kind.

Oh, it’s Tuesday. Aunt Lauren’s smile comes through loud and clear on my phone. She loves Jody. It’s so nice you kids still do that after all of these years. Tell her to send me the recipe, and yes, Dannon is a good one.

Thanks. I grip the container and start down the shopping aisle.

Now about—

Nope. I shake my head, not that she can see it. I’m not going back there. You remember what happened the last time.

But—

"Sorry, Aunt Lauren. Now, I gotta get in line. I’ll stop over Thursday and help you move that treadmill.