Friends to lovers is one of my favorite genres, and frenemies to lovers is sort of a sub-genre. This story falls into the latter category. Alec and Frankie were in high school together. Alec was smitten with Frankie, who was extremely smart and beautiful and used to winning everything. Alec thought if he proved he was smart as well, she'd notice him. Frankie sure did, but she looked at him as her nemesis -- the one who beat her at everything where they were competitors. A nemesis who made her feel funny.So ten years have passed since they last saw each other, and they happen to be at the same party. It's a party themed with high school party games -- suck and blow being the game where one participant sucks breath in to hold a playing card to their lips and they try to pass the card to the mouth of the next person in line, blowing it to release it from their mouth. Frankie sees Alec and starts freaking out. She tries to avoid him by going to the suck and blow line. Alec follows her and finagles his way to being behind her in line. But Frankie is so nervous with him being so close that she ends up dropping the card, and they have one whopper of a kiss. Which leads to a quickie in the bathroom. Which leads to her escaping because she is freaked out about her reaction to him. For his part, Alec is very patient. He figures if Frankie doesn't come back to the party, he'll chase her down at a later date. But he doesn't have to because she returns and lots of sexiness ensues.
I thought it was really sweet that Alec still held a torch for Frankie after all these years. That everything he'd done in his life had been done with her in mind. And that, while he may have beaten her in those competitions all those years ago, he didn't see her as weak as a result. I also loved that he didn't carry condoms, lol. Not that he didn't demand them, but he wasn't presumptuous or spontaneous enough about sex to carry them. He didn't normally do quickies in bathrooms. (Good thing there was a condom in the drawer!)
I thought the whole "cheap money" thing was sad. Sad that people with money feel that way about others with money, simply because of how that money was received. Sad that people who are deemed "cheap money" have to feel bad about it. But great that Alec didn't let that get him down.
Cute story, lots of sex, great chemistry between the characters. I look forward to the next party game!
