From the New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a captivating standalone novel, Gentleman Nine. Growing up, three friends created a dynamic that would shape their futures: he was the nerd, I was the playboy, and she was the beauty. Always, I had feelings for her, but I kept them close to my heart due to a pact with my friend Rory. Under this pact, our friend Amber was strictly off-limits—even as Rory and Amber eventually became a couple.
For years, nothing changed, and Amber remained blissfully unaware of my feelings. That is until Rory broke her heart, leaving a gaping hole in her life. We kept in touch, but our paths rarely crossed until my job led me to Boston for a three-month stint. With nowhere else to stay, I accepted Amber's offer to share her spare room. She had sworn off men, healing from her heartache, but all that changed when I stumbled upon a shocking discovery on her computer.
Amber, desperate to feel something rather than wallow in her sadness, reached out to a male escort company. Young and unprepared, she looked for a physical connection with no emotional strings. Curiosity and protectiveness washed over me as a mixture of feelings amused my mind and heart. Astonished, I discovered she had contacted Gentleman Number Nine, sharing not just her desire for intimacy but also her hidden attraction to a certain friend—me!
Intriguingly, Amber had always viewed me as off-limits, even branding me a manwhore. Little did she know, I had my own intentions to disrupt the status quo. When she finally decided to meet Gentleman Nine at a hotel, I couldn’t let her walk into that situation alone. To her surprise, I stood in the hotel lobby waiting, hoping my offer was one she couldn’t refuse. Will her heart open to the possibility of love with the guy who has always been there, waiting? Read Gentleman Nine to find out!
