Jaded by Ember Leigh Read Free Book Online

everything he was doing. There had to be something in it for him. She didn’t think she looked like his type; she imagined a woman much skinnier and blonder than she, but maybe he was just the standard womanizer, unable to differentiate facial features as long as a pair of breasts was attached.
    She turned off the TV, opting for another jog around the neighborhood and a cold shower. She hated how he’d made her consider breaking her vow, hated how fiercely her body had responded to him, and hated even more how quickly he might be able to make her secret fantasies with him become a reality. She didn’t trust him, but more than that, she wasn’t quite sure if she could trust herself.

Chapter Three
    “How’s the bet coming?” Jimmy asked in a whisper as they installed a piece of insulation in the kitchen.
    “Not very good.”
    Jimmy nodded, smiling. “I knew it! I knew this would be the first bet you’d ever lose!”
    “Hey, I never said I’d lose. It’ll just take some more finesse.”
    “You think you’re smooth, but you ain’t that smooth.”
    “You’re underestimating my talents, Jimmy.”
    “Maybe so. But she’s a pistol. This morning she almost punched Mark in the face for knocking over a lamp.”
    “Did it break?”
    “No! And it was ugly to begin with!”
    Luke grimaced. “I’ve honestly never met anyone like her. She is so different from other girls.”
    “I can tell. But she looks like she needs a little fun.” Jimmy nudged him. “That’s where you come in.”
    “She’s hot, a lot hotter than I bargained for.”
    “Yeah, if I weren’t married, I’d consider it.”
    A scream pierced the air—it was Isabella’s scream. Luke leaped up and ran upstairs toward her bedroom. The door was ajar and he pushed it open. Isabella turned to him with a gasp, towel clutched around her.
    “What’s wrong? I heard you scream.”
    She gritted her teeth and expelled an angry groan. “Tell your stupid workers not to spy on me when I’m changing!” She pointed to the window across from her closet. “Perverts!”
    “Hey, I’m sorry. I had no way of knowing. I would have stopped it if I’d seen it.”
    She glared at him. But Luke could hardly sympathize—if he’d been outside, he would have peeked in on her too.
    “I’ll punch them the minute I see them,” she said through gritted teeth, knotting the towel more tightly around her chest.
    “You won’t have to—I’ll do it for you.”
    She didn’t say anything and turned away from him. Her long, dark hair hung limply down her back, and her breasts rounded nicely under the towel. In all her angry glory, she was irresistible. A few silent moments passed before she huffed and said, “Luke, this isn’t a peep show, you know!”
    The soft curve of her calf caught his eye and Luke had to blink hard. A dense fog was rapidly descending over his brain, and he could hardly think with her in front of him. He opened his mouth to respond but couldn’t find any words. She turned and walked toward him, eyes blazing.
    “You men are so predictable,” she spat out. “Where is the respect? Like I want to be spied on in my own house.”
    Luke tried to respond again but all he could do was lamely open and close his mouth. She was inching closer to him now and he feared momentarily that she might hit him or otherwise lash out. He caught a whiff of her shampoo and he gulped. It was all he could do to keep his hands off her now that she was so close to him.
    “Don’t you have anything to say, Luke?”
    His eyes slid up and down her body, despite how hard he was trying to avoid looking. In her state, that slip of willpower might cost him a limb or two. She seemed ready to pounce. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a slow breath, trying to get words—any words—to come out.
    “Sorry,” was all he could muster. “I feel like you, uh...”
    “I what?” She narrowed her eyes at him.
    “You’re totally right,” he said, looking anywhere but at the line