Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...
Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...
PURCHASE:
“You’ve watched
Pretty Woman too many times. Kissing doesn’t mean anything, and it’s always
best if you’re not thinking too much in bed. Trust me,” he said.
Her mouth thinned
into a stubborn line. “This is too important for me not to think. I’d rather
not kiss anymore if you don’t mind.”
Michael’s
irritation redoubled, and he forced his hands to relax before he popped all his
blood vessels. How the hell had he gotten himself into this? Ah yes, he’d been
worried about his escort colleagues taking advantage of her. Stupid of him. His
life was complicated enough without worrying about his clients. This was
exactly why he had the one-session policy.
He would have
backed out—it was tempting—but he’d promised. He always carried through on his
promises. It was his way of balancing out the universe. His dad had broken
enough promises for the both of them.
“All right,” he
made himself say. “No kissing.”
“Do the other
plans look okay?” she asked.
He forced himself
to read them and found them pretty similar, only she’d moved from hand jobs to
blowjobs and changed the sexual positions.
Amused despite
himself, he said, “I’m surprised you used the terms ‘doggy style’ and ‘cow
girl.’”
Her cheeks went
bright red, and she adjusted her glasses. “I’m inexperienced, not clueless.”
“Your plans are
missing something important.” He held his hand out, and she placed the pen in
his palm with wary motions.
She tilted her
head to the side as she watched him write FOREPLAY at the top of all the plans
in capital letters. As an afterthought, he drew a box in front of each
iteration with hard stabs of the pen.
“But why? I was
under the impression men don’t need it.”
“You do,” he said
flatly.
She wrinkled her
nose and shook her head. “You don’t have to bother with me.”
He narrowed his
eyes. “It’s not a bother. Most men like foreplay. I do. Getting a woman hot is
satisfying as hell.” Besides, he was not having
sex with her if she wasn’t ready. No fucking way.
Swallowing, she
stared down at the menu. “So you’re saying I don’t have a chance to improve.”
“What? No.” His
mind scrambled to figure out why she might say that and came up with nothing.
“You saw how I
reacted. It was one button.”
“And then you
slept with me all night. You were basically naked, and you cling.”
“Are you two ready
to order?” the waitress interjected. Judging by the amused glimmer in her eyes,
she’d caught the last part of their conversation.
Stella perused the
dinner options, her nails picking at the fabric edging of the menu.
“We’ll have the
special,” Michael said.
“Wise choice. I’ll
leave you to it.” The waitress winked, gathered the menus, and disappeared.
“What’s the
special?” Stella asked.
“I have no idea.
Let’s hope it’s not woolly.”
A troubled frown
bracketed her mouth, and she leaned forward hesitantly, meeting his eyes for
the briefest second. “What exactly do you mean by ‘cling?’”
Michael grinned.
“It means you like to cuddle when you’re asleep.”
“Oh.”
She
looked so horrified Michael couldn’t help laughing. “I confess to liking it.”
Which was the truth, and unlike him. Cuddling was an obligatory thing he did
for his clients because he understood they needed it. He usually spent the time
counting the seconds until he could leave and go home to shower. Holding Stella
had been nothing like that. They hadn’t had sex, so there’d been nothing to
wash away, and the trusting way she’d curled into him had made him feel things
he didn’t want to think about.
5 Stars
The Kiss Quotient, debut book by new author - and I am now a big fan! And I can’t wait to read more from this author. I absolutely adored this story.
This book is unique and refreshing, with quirky characters that will have you reading non stop. Michael and Stella couldn’t be more of a perfect match. Stella Lane has a brilliant mind and is set with her everyday rituals. She has Aspergers. Getting into Stella's mind is amazing. She's quirky and honest. Her mother starts pushing her to date (and give her some grandbabies!) and the thought of dating, sex and men -- just pains her to think about it. It's the last thing Stella wants to do. So what a better way to improve her dating skills is to hire an escort.
Michael Phan, is trying to survive one day at a time. He's been escorting on the side to help pay for medical bills. He's a hard worker, helping out his mom and sisters, but working in their dry cleaning doesn't cut the bill. That's where he ends up meeting Stella.
There's something about Stella that has Michael wanting to get to know this client. Unlike his other clients, he knows there's something unique and special about Stella.
I'm a big fan of romance, and there really isn't a lot of stories that involve a main character as Asian-American. Michael Phan and his family reminded me of my family, who have similar culture traditions.
Helen Hoang read her first romance in eighth grade and has been addicted ever since. In 2016, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in line with what was previously known as Asperger’s Syndrome. Her journey inspired her to write The Kiss Quotient. Learn more at helenhoang.com.
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