Luck of the Draw by Kelley Vitollo Read Free Book Online Page B

going to get anywhere this way, and regardless of his name or the cat, it was important for her to figure out more about this man who fathered her baby. “ Breck, I’m not super fond of cats, but I guess she can stay. Only let her out in your room, though, and you’re responsible for the litter box. I’m giving you the suite with a bathroom attached. It’s only us for now.”
    “Wanted me alone, did you?” He gave her that lopsided grin with the dimple below the right side. She was sure it had snagged a million women. It had her. Even now it sent goose bumps racing over her skin. “And you’ll end up loving Ace. She’s just like me.”
    Rowan tried to pretend she didn’t notice the smile. “Listen, I’m tired and hungry. Can we pretend to flirt tomorrow? It’s been a long day.”
    The smile slid off his face and he looked… Honestly, he looked a little worried. “Yeah. Sorry about that. Sit down.” Rowan was surprised when he pulled out the chair for her. She sat down, a large pepperoni pizza in front of them. There were paper plates and— Crap. Alcohol.
    Breck sat across from her. They each put some pizza on paper plates. He had a beer in front of him. “Drink?” He nodded toward the vodka.
    She pulled a water bottle out of her purse. “No thanks. I don’t drink much.” Then she grabbed a pen and set the paper on the table. “Feel free to eat, but I have a few standard questions I ask everyone who stays here.”
    The way he narrowed his eyes, as though he were trying to see inside her, she figured he didn’t believe her. Rowan ignored it. “Where do you live?” she asked.
    “Anywhere, but I do have a house in Los Angeles.”
    “Of course you do,” she mumbled, but luckily he didn’t call her on it. And how the hell did he live anywhere ? That made no sense. “What do you do?”
    “Play poker.”
    “No, for a living.”
    “I play poker .”
    Her stomach dropped as quickly as did the pen from her hand. “You play poker for a living? Is that legal?”
    Her question didn’t faze him. “Yeah. Haven’t you heard of poker tournaments?”
    She shrugged.
    “Well, I win them.” Another half grin.
    Cocky, cocky man.
    “I do have a law degree as well. But I didn’t take the bar exam, so I don’t practice.”
    Her baby’s father was a poker-playing lawyer. She guessed it was better than an ax-murdering drug dealer, though. Still, her father was probably rolling over in his grave. Rowan cleared her throat. “Have you ever been arrested?”
    “Not unless you count a foolish college stunt with Jace.”
    Oh. My. God. He had been arrested?
    “No worries. It involved toilet paper and spray paint. Nothing too bad.”
    She kept going. “Married?”
    “Nope.” His voice was a little tense on that one.
    “Kids?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    “What!” She pushed to her feet.
    “Relax, I’m kidding. Trying to loosen you up. You weren’t this uptight in Vegas.”
    She lowered herself in the chair again, shaking slightly. “So really, you have no kids?”
    “No children.”
    Rowan started to feel a little dizzy, but that was probably because of her next question. “Do you want them…someday?”
    He cocked his head at her and she tried to hide her emotions. “What does that have to do with staying here?”
    “I don’t know, I’m just curious. Your reaction made me ask. It’s not on the questionnaire.”
    Breck tossed his napkin to the table and leaned back. “I don’t know, Houdini. I’m thinking no. Kids require a wife, which I don’t have or want. Ever.” He shrugged, but his jaw was clenched,too. His whole body looked tense. “Most of the women I know are psychotic, present company excluded. Besides, my life doesn’t really suit a family. I’m on the road a lot. I have too much going on to tie myself down.”
    Rowan could hardly understand him. He was an echo in her foggy brain. He never wanted to marry—not that she wanted to marry him, but still. He didn’t want kids. Or