High Stakes Seduction by Lori Wilde Read Free Book Online

going to be okay on that score. He’s a rock, my dude—kind and steady and hardworking. Not like the losers I dated before him.”
    Eva had had her share of losers, too. She thought of Keith and then immediately switched gears and thought of Adam. What a world of difference.
    There was just something about Adam that called to her, something that sent a little thrill into her stomach. It wasn’t just his lean, muscular body and good-looking face that affected her. The determined set to his firm chin told her he wasn’t a quitter. Whatever he did—a job, a relationship, a project—he was in it for the long haul. And that was scary to a butterfly like her.
    But while his chin could turn flinty with determination, there was a kindness to his eyes not often seen in adamant men. A kindness that spoke of a deep inner calm, a serenity of the soul that she’d never been able to accomplish, not even in her practice of yoga. That serenity called to her. Adam was a man who knew himself. He was certain and sure and she found that confidence very appealing.
    Don’t be nuts. You don’t even know Adam. You’ve talked to the man exactly twice. Two times does not a first impression make.
    And yet, he had made an impression on her. One she couldn’t shake. Talk about a rock. And in more ways than one. She grinned. He was firm, centered and self-possessed. A man you could count on.
    You don’t know that. Stop fantasizing about him and focus on Zoey.
    “So why were you dreading telling me?” Eva placed a hand over Zoey’s lower abdomen.
    Zoey touched Eva’s hand and their eyes met. “I’m worried about you.”
    That startled her and she eased her hand away. “Whatever on earth for?” she asked, trying to sound light and breezy, but not sure that she succeeded.
    “I don’t want her to come between us.” Zoey cradled her belly.
    Eva’s world brightened. “So the baby is a girl?”
    “I’m only nine weeks into this, so we don’t know it, but I just have this feeling it’s a girl.”
    “Zoey, this is such happy news.” Eva hugged her again.
    “I thought you might be sad.”
    “Why would I be sad? This is a baby we’re talking about. This is the biggest thing ever.”
    “There will be no more late nights for us.”
    “That’s okay. Late nights are overrated. Look at the up side. No more walks of shame.”
    “No more bad date stories.”
    “No more sitting home alone on a Friday night.”
    Zoey grinned. “Thank heavens that’s over. I feel like my real life has finally begun.”
    That last statement was a kick in the teeth. Eva knew her friend didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but it left Eva feeling as if she were in limbo, waiting to start her “real” life with a husband and a baby. The fact she felt that way bothered her.
    She’d never been one of those women who believed she needed a family to feel complete. She’d been independent since she’d left home at seventeen, moving to San Francisco and attending Berkeley for a year before dropping out to travel and try a variety of jobs. School just hadn’t been her thing.
    It wasn’t that she hadn’t gotten good grades, because she had. But she’d possessed an entrepreneurial attitude and a love of physical activity. Starting her own business made more sense to her than hanging out at school for four years. Maybe she’d missed out on a lot. Maybe she was still missing out.
    Things were changing and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
    She smiled her way through the remainder of the meal, doing her best not to let envy creep in, but when her cell phone rang, she snatched it from her purse, grateful for an excuse to stop talking about weddings and babies.
    That is, until she read the caller ID.
    Unknown caller.
    She never answered unknown calls. They could leave a voice mail and if it was important, she’d return the call. She muted her phone, stuck it back into her purse and turned her attention to Zoey. “So, have you thought of any baby