The Dating Alternative by Jennifer Woodhull

After her fiance walks out just weeks before their wedding, Brie isn’t ready for another relationship. After her friends convince her that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, she decides to give something more casual a try. When the good-looking guy she has flirted with for years keeps popping up, she’s tempted. She may not be ready for dating, but Max is happy to offer her an alternative.

Brie:

Finding out your fiance is dating someone else is a real downer. What can I say? I picked the wrong guy. Gave him the wrong finger. Taking a break from dating seems like the logical choice.

There are some great things about being single. Going without… you know, s-e-x… isn’t one of them. My friends are trying to convince me that there’s an app for that, but it’s not working out so well. There is this one guy I’ve always sort of flirted with, though. For the first time since I’ve known him, we’re single at the same time. I’m so not ready to jump into another relationship, but maybe it’s time to find out if this friends-with-benefits thing can really work.

Max:

I have crushed on Brie ever since I first met her, but the timing was never right. Now, though, she’s single and so am I. Just my luck, she’s got me firmly planted in the friend zone.

When I find out she’s looking for something strictly physical, of course, I offer my services—I mean, what are friends for, after all? The problem is, the more time I spend with her, the more convinced I am that she’s perfect for me. I’m probably the only guy in history to ruin a no-strings-attached deal by falling for the girl.

Now, I’ve got to try to make her see I’m not like her jerk of an ex. If she’ll give us a chance, I know we could be great together. She’s under my skin, and if she walks away, she takes my heart with her.