Checkmate by Diana Nixon Read Free Book Online Page A

her. God, talking was the last thing I wanted to do with her now.
    Her brows pulled together and she looked like she wasn’t brave enough to ask her question.
    “Last night you were more determined,” I said, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed at the mention of the time we spent together last night.
    “That’s exactly what I wanted to talk about.”
    “Figures.”
    “Listen, Dominick… Whatever happened, was a mistake.”
    Ouch…
    I felt my jaw tightening.
    “ I don’t do things like that,” she said, still avoiding looking at me.
    “Things l ike what? A hand job?”
    She drew a sharp breath, and ran one hand through her hair. “And that too.”
    I shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. “Okay, I’ll remember that the next time you join me in my bed.”
    “And there will never be a next time ,” she added with a cold look.
    “You sure about that? I thought we had some, let’s say, unfinished business to deal with.”
    “Once was more than enough.”
    “It can hardly be called once actually.”
    “What do you mean?” S he asked, confused.
    I studied her for a long minute, before the realization hit me; she didn’t remember what happened last night… She thought we had sex, and the truth was that we didn’t even come close to that.
    “Never mind. ” I waved it off. “A one-night stand was exactly what I needed. So, yes, I’m totally fine if you want to pretend nothing happened.” Not that I’m going to pretend nothing happened myself…
    It was a little offending to know that she forgot something that I thought was one of the best not-fucking-the-hell-out-of-each-other night of my life. But still, saying what she wanted to hear was better than admitting how much I actually wanted to see her coming all over my cock…
    “Good,” she said, nodding in relief. “So, things can be normal between us, right?”
    “Sure.”
    She nodded again and turned on her heel to leave.
    “Do you need a ride?” I called after her.
    “No, thanks. I’ll take a taxi.”
    “Where’s your car?”
    “I wasn’t sure I could drive this morning.”
    Did she even have time to stop by her house this morning ? She looked a little tired, but it was almost midnight, and she had had a long day. Only now, did I think about something that I didn’t care to find out this morning. How did she get back to the city?
    I lived in a deserted area. There were only a few houses around and I highly doubted she would find a waiting taxi out there; definitely not at 5:00 AM.
    I got into my car, started the engine and waited for Scarlett’s silhouette to disappear behind the corner. In the blink of an eye, she managed to turn my world upside down. I remembered my brother’s words and even though t about calling him, as my perfectly planned life was already fucking falling to shit, just as he had said in his words…

Chapter 5
    Scarlett
     
    Being back home was the most amazing feeling. It even smelled like peace that not even Frenchie could ruin. I took a shower; one of the longest showers of my life. I still secretly hoped I would be able to wash the making-my-stomach-hurt-miserably memories away. That was wishful thinking; it didn’t really work unfortunately…
    When I left the bathroom, I noticed the red light on my cell phone flashing. Was it a missed call or a message? My knees trembled at the thought that it could be from Dominick. But the very second I went to check it out, my phone rang and my best-friend’s smiling face flashed on the screen.
    “Jill, it’s almost two in the morning. Did you even consider the fact that I might be sleeping already?”
    “No, I was sure you wo uld be still wide awake, daydreaming about stripping in front of my new boss and hoping he would refresh your memories from last night.” She chuckled on the other end.
    “Oh, God. You are not helping, you know?” I groaned, sinking back against the pillows on my bed.
    “I wasn’t trying to .”
    “What the hell, Jill? Aren’t you