Title: Advanced Physical Chemistry:
A Romantic Comedy
Series: Chemistry Lessons #3
A Romantic Comedy
Series: Chemistry Lessons #3
Author: Susannah Nix
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: March 16, 2018
Release Date: March 16, 2018
Blurb
After four
lousy boyfriends in a row, chemical engineer Penny Popplestone swears off men
until she can figure out why they keep cheating on her. But her no-men
resolution hits a snag when the mysterious and superhumanly hot barista at her
favorite coffee shop strikes up a friendship with her.
Penny strives to keep things platonic, but when Caleb gives her the kiss of her
life, she realizes he wants to be more than just friends. Tired of always being
“good little Penny,” she throws caution to the wind and pursues a no-strings
fling with the hottie barista. It’s not like they have anything in common
beyond scorching physical chemistry, so what does she have to lose?
Only her heart.
Now, this fanfic-reading, plus-size heroine faces an unsolvable problem. What
do you do when being apart is unbearable…but being together is impossible?
Advanced Physical Chemistry is the
third in a series of standalone rom-coms featuring geeky heroines who work in
STEM fields.
lousy boyfriends in a row, chemical engineer Penny Popplestone swears off men
until she can figure out why they keep cheating on her. But her no-men
resolution hits a snag when the mysterious and superhumanly hot barista at her
favorite coffee shop strikes up a friendship with her.
Penny strives to keep things platonic, but when Caleb gives her the kiss of her
life, she realizes he wants to be more than just friends. Tired of always being
“good little Penny,” she throws caution to the wind and pursues a no-strings
fling with the hottie barista. It’s not like they have anything in common
beyond scorching physical chemistry, so what does she have to lose?
Only her heart.
Now, this fanfic-reading, plus-size heroine faces an unsolvable problem. What
do you do when being apart is unbearable…but being together is impossible?
Advanced Physical Chemistry is the
third in a series of standalone rom-coms featuring geeky heroines who work in
STEM fields.
Purchase Links
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt
“Can we
talk?” Penny tilted her head toward the back. “Privately.” Was it her
imagination, or did Caleb’s eyes widen momentarily in fear?
talk?” Penny tilted her head toward the back. “Privately.” Was it her
imagination, or did Caleb’s eyes widen momentarily in fear?
He wiped
his hands on a dishtowel and nodded. “Sure.”
his hands on a dishtowel and nodded. “Sure.”
She trailed
after him down the back hallway, past the restrooms. He halted in front of the
office door and turned around to face her. It was quieter back here. The voices
of the businessmen had faded to a dull murmur, blending with the white noise
hum of the refrigerator case at the end of the hall.
after him down the back hallway, past the restrooms. He halted in front of the
office door and turned around to face her. It was quieter back here. The voices
of the businessmen had faded to a dull murmur, blending with the white noise
hum of the refrigerator case at the end of the hall.
Neither of
them spoke. They were standing close enough that she could see the gold in his
eyes. As they stared at one another, the memory of the kiss floated in the air
between them. Their fevered breaths. The way he’d moaned into her mouth. Penny
licked her lips.
them spoke. They were standing close enough that she could see the gold in his
eyes. As they stared at one another, the memory of the kiss floated in the air
between them. Their fevered breaths. The way he’d moaned into her mouth. Penny
licked her lips.
“I owe you
an apology,” Caleb said.
an apology,” Caleb said.
The words
punctured her thin bubble of hope. “I see.”
punctured her thin bubble of hope. “I see.”
“I
shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”
shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”
“Why not?”
she heard herself say a little too loudly.
she heard herself say a little too loudly.
He flinched
at the challenge in her tone. “What?”
at the challenge in her tone. “What?”
“Why
shouldn’t you have kissed me?”
shouldn’t you have kissed me?”
The bell on
the front door jangled, and there was a murmur of voices as more customers came
in. Malik was out front. He could handle them.
the front door jangled, and there was a murmur of voices as more customers came
in. Malik was out front. He could handle them.
Caleb
shuffled his feet like he was itching to escape. “Um…”
shuffled his feet like he was itching to escape. “Um…”
“Do you
have a girlfriend?” Penny asked.
have a girlfriend?” Penny asked.
He shook
his head at the floor. “No, nothing like that.”
his head at the floor. “No, nothing like that.”
She rested
her hands on her hips. “Did you not mean to do it? Am I supposed to believe it
was some sort of accident? That you tripped and fell onto my face?”
her hands on her hips. “Did you not mean to do it? Am I supposed to believe it
was some sort of accident? That you tripped and fell onto my face?”
“No, of
course not, I—”
course not, I—”
“Because
I’m trying to understand why you’d do something like that and then run off and
leave me standing there. And why you’re apologizing now for kissing me instead
of for running off.”
I’m trying to understand why you’d do something like that and then run off and
leave me standing there. And why you’re apologizing now for kissing me instead
of for running off.”
“I’m sorry
for that part too,” he said quietly.
for that part too,” he said quietly.
“It wasn’t
very nice.”
very nice.”
“You’re
right, it wasn’t. I’m sorry.” God, he was beautiful when he was being contrite.
It made it impossible to think straight.
right, it wasn’t. I’m sorry.” God, he was beautiful when he was being contrite.
It made it impossible to think straight.
Penny
stared at his collarbone, which was also stupidly attractive, but not quite as
distracting as his face. “So why did you do it?”
stared at his collarbone, which was also stupidly attractive, but not quite as
distracting as his face. “So why did you do it?”
“Run off?
Or kiss you?”
Or kiss you?”
“Both.
Either. Why are you being so weird about all of it?”
Either. Why are you being so weird about all of it?”
“Um.” He
shifted his weight, lowering his eyes to the floor. If she hadn’t been standing
between him and escape, he might have actually bolted like a horse.
shifted his weight, lowering his eyes to the floor. If she hadn’t been standing
between him and escape, he might have actually bolted like a horse.
She crossed
her arms. “Did you not want to kiss me?”
her arms. “Did you not want to kiss me?”
“No, I…” He
trailed off, rubbing his palms on his thighs.
trailed off, rubbing his palms on his thighs.
Penny
waited. She was prepared to wait all day if that was what it took.
waited. She was prepared to wait all day if that was what it took.
He looked
up. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”
up. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”
That
stopped her in her tracks. “W—what?”
stopped her in her tracks. “W—what?”
His eyes
looked into hers. “You heard me.”
looked into hers. “You heard me.”
Something
burned in her chest, constricting her voice to a whisper. “But you don’t even
like me.”
burned in her chest, constricting her voice to a whisper. “But you don’t even
like me.”
“That’s not
true.” He looked pained.
true.” He looked pained.
How long
was a long time? Since last summer when he’d started working here? Did that
mean—could she have been dating Caleb instead of Kenneth? She tried to
picture it. Caleb asking her on a date, taking her out to dinner. Smiling
across the table as he tried to charm her, hoping for a goodnight kiss at the
end of the evening. She couldn’t even picture the smiling part, much less the
rest of it.
was a long time? Since last summer when he’d started working here? Did that
mean—could she have been dating Caleb instead of Kenneth? She tried to
picture it. Caleb asking her on a date, taking her out to dinner. Smiling
across the table as he tried to charm her, hoping for a goodnight kiss at the
end of the evening. She couldn’t even picture the smiling part, much less the
rest of it.
She tried
to clear her throat and made a choking sound instead. “You acted like
you didn’t like me.”
to clear her throat and made a choking sound instead. “You acted like
you didn’t like me.”
“I was
trying to keep my distance.” His expression turned reproachful. “You had a
boyfriend.”
trying to keep my distance.” His expression turned reproachful. “You had a
boyfriend.”
“Who was a
cheating jerk. Which you could have told me at any time.” If Caleb had ever
given her even the slightest hint he was actually interested in her, she would
have dropped Kenneth like the flaming bag of dog poop he’d turned out to be.
cheating jerk. Which you could have told me at any time.” If Caleb had ever
given her even the slightest hint he was actually interested in her, she would
have dropped Kenneth like the flaming bag of dog poop he’d turned out to be.
“I was
afraid you’d hate me if I was the one to tell you.”
afraid you’d hate me if I was the one to tell you.”
Unbelievable.
Literally, it was impossible to believe this man who’d barely acknowledged her
existence had actually been attracted to her all this time. It was
inconceivable, and not in the Princess Bride sense of the word.
Literally, it was impossible to believe this man who’d barely acknowledged her
existence had actually been attracted to her all this time. It was
inconceivable, and not in the Princess Bride sense of the word.
And yet…he had
kissed her. It hadn’t been a half-hearted kiss either. That was a serious kiss
he’d given her. Deadly serious.
kissed her. It hadn’t been a half-hearted kiss either. That was a serious kiss
he’d given her. Deadly serious.
Penny
swallowed. “I don’t have a boyfriend anymore.”
swallowed. “I don’t have a boyfriend anymore.”
Also Available
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Author Bio
Susannah
Nix lives in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid
amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a
powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.
Nix lives in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid
amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a
powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.
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