The Aubrey Rules by Aven Ellis Page B

against the wall next to the door, giving me that crooked smile, and, oh Lord, I have no chance keeping any kind of rules in play with this man.
    Zero.
    I turn the key in the lock. “Well, Captain Smart Ass, thank you for the escort home.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    “And thank you for dinner. The fries were amazing. And it was really thoughtful of you,” I say quietly.
    Beckett stares at me. My heart begins pounding again. I know this is crazy, but I physically ache for him to make a move right now. I know I’ve said I can’t. I know I’ve said I shouldn’t. But my heart is screaming over my head and I know what I want.
    Beckett.
    “You’re welcome. Goodnight, Aubrey.”
    “Night,” I say, nodding at him.
    I push open the door, and he begins to walk away. I take a moment to study his massive frame, the way he’s so broad across the back, and quickly avert my eyes before he catches me staring.
    I’m about to close the door behind me when I hear my name.
    “Aubrey!”
    My pulse leaps. I pop my head out my door and see that Beckett has turned around.
    “Yeah?” I ask.
    “Wanna try some Belgian beers with those fries on Thursday? I can bring them back here so you can come by when you’re done with work.”
    Oh my God. He invited me over, but with no business attached.
    Okay, so I don’t know if it’s as friends or getting to be something more than friends but aaaaah!
    But I decide to play it cool.
    “Only if I can take pictures for a future tweet,” I counter.
    “Urgh, you’re impossible.”
    “Yes or no?”
    “Yes,” Beckett says, flashing me a smile. “I’ll allow it.”
    Happiness washes over me. “Okay. Thursday it is.” Then I decide to tease him. “And text me when you get home. I need to know you got back safely.”
    He bursts out laughing. “Will do.”
    I step inside the condo and close the door. I’m shaking with excitement. I don’t ever remember feeling like this, even with guys I thought I loved.
    There’s something about Beckett that’s different.
    In all the right ways.
    But something in my heart tells me to take this leap. Cautiously, of course, but to take it all the same.
    And that’s exactly what I’m going to do on Thursday night.

Chapter 11
    The Aubrey Rules To Live By, Rule #11: Don’t waste time looking for a potential boyfriend who doesn’t have the qualities you have listed. Date with these specific things in mind, and cut loose guys who don’t have these qualities immediately.
    **Amendment** Upon further review, I think my list is old and outdated.
    **Amendment #2** Since meeting Beckett, that is.
    **Amendment #3** Perhaps the rule book needs to be updated and revised accordingly for Beckett.
    I should be freaking exhausted.
    I’m sitting at my desk at work, waiting for some kind of direction from Mallory. But then again, maybe I don’t want it. It’s only day two of gainful employment, and instead of having me retrieve a banana, I was told to go to a smoothie bar and fetch a blended drink for her flagging energy level.
    Of course, she tells me this after I’ve swapped out my snow boots for heels, un-layered myself, and just sat down to have a cup of coffee.
    I think I will be out of red flags well before lunch on my second day of work.
    So I trudged back out, walked 10 minutes in the snow, came back, and was told to “take a cab next time, I was about to pass out from hunger.”
    Oy.
    Now I’m sitting at my desk, with no direction and no assignments. I push my chair back ever so slightly from my desk so I can peer into Mallory’s office. She’s on Nordstrom again. But at least she’s branching out and studying scarves.
    Fantastic. I wonder what time today I should plan to take a taxi to Nordstrom to pick one up for her.
    Buzz!
    My pulse leaps as soon as my phone vibrates. That’s because I’ve done nothing but text Beckett since he left my door last night. We continued our conversation via text, and the last thing I remember was waiting for his