First and Ten by Michel Prince Read Free Book Online Page A

on doing bad things to
me?”
    “The punishment should fit the crime.”
    “Not listening?” Dani said as she stood and
they walked out of the classroom. “Since when is that a crime?”
    “What was that?” Esme teased. “I didn’t hear
you.”
    “Funny.” A cold wind was whipping off Lake
Michigan and it slammed against Dani’s cheeks. How the hell it got
through the campus and past the buildings needed to be researched
by the architecture department. “Motherfucker.”
    “Damn, didn’t we get rid of winter last
week?”
    “That warm streak was a ruse,” Dani said into
the wind, unsure if her friend could hear her words. Both their
heads were down as they charged head first into the wind like the
prow of a ship through water.
    “What’s your treat today?” Esme howled
against the wind.
    “No idea.” Dani lost sight of Esme’s Manolos . Sure she had been blown away, Dani stopped and
turned to see her friend staring straight ahead.
    The wind died down a bit, or had they walked
into the path of a building that blocked it? Nope, when Dani turned
to see what had caught Esme’s attention, Jerome Speed was standing
as if he were guarding them against the wind. His unbuttoned three
quarter length black coat ruffled in the wind at his knees. No
longer having to fight the weather, Dani could take in his form as
the last of the sun set behind her. Could it have been that causing
him to glow? Maybe it was his smirk of a smile as he rocked back on
his heels with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his black dress
pants. He was suited and booted tonight. She hadn’t expected that.
Looking back at Esme, she wished she was rail thin and three inches
taller so they could switch their outfits. Although Esme wasn’t one
to be seen in a maxi skirt and V-neck sweater, she might take the
hit and switch with Dani’s modest outfit.
    “Did you think I was going to stand you up?”
he asked.
    “No…I…didn’t… Why would you think that?”
    “You were leaving. Didn’t you say you’d meet
me at the business building?”
    “I did, it’s just.” Dani fumbled with her own
messenger bag as she reached for nothing in particular. “I was
walking my friend to her car. You know safety in numbers and
all.”
    “The buddy system.” He smiled. “I learned
that in grade school too.”
    “Exactly.”
    “Does your buddy have a name?” he asked and
Dani felt her stomach clench. Esme was the type of woman high paid
players dated. Not that this was a date, yet Dani wasn’t sure she
was ready to introduce her bestie to a man she couldn’t get out of
her thoughts.
    “Um…yes…this is Esme,” Dani introduced.
    “Esme Carmichael,” Esme said as she extended
her elegant hand with its perfect reverse French manicure. “Dani’s
Tuesday Treats had always been a secret to me and now I know
why.”
    “I’m not the treat,” Jerome said, shrugging
off the compliment.
    “You would be the piece of chocolate I’d keep
hidden in my box.”
    “And on that note,” Dani said as she wished
the chills running up her spine were from the cold and not
embarrassment. “We need to get going.”
    “So soon.” Esme crossed her arms with a pout.
“Can’t I come along?”
    “I’m sorry, I only planned on two, not
three,” Jerome’s deep baritone caused a warmth only matched by the
fact his hand went around Dani’s waist as he pulled her close.
“Maybe next time.”
    “Maybe,” Esme said with a wink. Dani wasn’t
sure if she was hitting on Rome or not. It’s not like there would
be any competition between them. Esme was leaps and bounds ahead of
Dani. Technically, Dani’s father had a higher net worth, but that
was the only place she was more attractive. And it was her father’s
net worth, not hers and he’s been very vocal about that.
    Esme waved as she continued to her car and
Jerome turned them both around. The cold wind slapped Dani to the
point she lost her breath for a moment and if Jerome hadn’t been
holding