Free Not About Love (This Love Book 2) by Hilaria Alexander Page A

visited during my college years,” I said, trying to come up with all the excuses I could think of.
    “Sure, but there had to be something else. Everyone falls in love with Paris, but it doesn’t mean they all decide to move there. So, what did Amsterdam have that made it so special?”
    It was far, far away from here.
    “Can I cut in, Dad?” Thank God for Boyd’s intrusiveness. Apparently, answering questions about my past still made me uncomfortable. Even after ten years, that still hadn’t changed at all.
    “Son, you surprise me. I thought you weren’t interested in dancing,” Mr. Rivers said in a mocking tone. Boyd might have been a smartass, but he had nothing on his father.
    “Well, now I am,” Boyd replied in a not-so-playful tone. Why was he being so territorial? What game was he playing? I thought he was all about keeping things between us a secret.
    I smiled uncomfortably as Mr. Rivers frowned and looked between Boyd and me.
    “Very well. Ally, let me know if this one gives you any trouble.” He gave me a wink before he let go of me and I nodded.
    Mr. Rivers placed my hand in Boyd’s, and I was soon wrapped up in his familiar scent. Now that I was in his arms, his scent brought me back to the last time we’d laid together in a tangle of sheets. Oh, those days in Amsterdam last summer were my happy place. So much hot sex. So much bliss.
    I sighed and when I noticed Boyd staring at me, I locked eyes with him.
    His brows were furrowed, and he was looking at me with a certain curiosity. His brown eyes looked darker, his pupils dilated. They looked just as they had when he had been…turned on. My eyes fell to his lips, and his hand circled my waist tighter. My heart started beating faster, and my throat went dry. I wanted to just bolt out of there and get him naked at the speed of light.
    The guy was nothing but trouble. He arrived at the party, found me in the crowd, and set his sights on me as if I were his prey. Now I couldn’t wait for him to make me his again. Gosh, I sounded desperate. I shook my head and laughed to myself.
    “What’s funny?” I met his eyes and noticed the ever-present, beautiful but annoying grin.
    “You know that song, ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’? I was just thinking it must have been written about you.”
    “Wish I could take the credit, sweetheart, but I’ve never met Taylor Swift.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Pretty sure that song was written about Harry Styles.”
    “Who’s Harry Styles? A singer?” he asked with a frown. Wasn’t he a social media wizard? How did he not know about the troubadour of one of the most successful boy bands ever? Then again, he was a guy, so he didn’t care about male heartthrobs. If Harry Styles had been a chick, he would have recognized the name.
    “Never mind.” I shook my head.
    “You’re right though, Red. If we had met, she probably would have written the song about me. I’ve been told I’m trouble more than once in my life.” He shrugged. “If the shoes fits,” he said with a smile. He let out a soft laugh, and I couldn’t help but laugh with him. The music stopped, and when the next song started, he wrapped me closer to him.
    He lowered his mouth to my ear and said, “How long do you think we should keep doing this?”
    “This? This what?”
    “Pretending we care about this party.”
    “Hey!” I said out loud. The couples around us eyed me, and I smiled awkwardly. I lowered my voice. “You might not care, but I certainly do. Your parents invited me. It would be really rude to leave.”
    “Oh, I didn’t mean we should leave,” he said. “Just…you know…we could go somewhere more…private. For a little bit, at least.” He winked, and the way he looked at me made the blood rush to my cheeks. I hated how he made me feel all flustered.
    Normally I would have been able to turn down this kind of proposition, especially if it was in a bar, I was alone, and I didn’t know the guy very well. But, biblically