Outside The Lines by Kimberly Kincaid Read Free Book Online

theme, that’s for sure.” Blake nodded, but of course Jules saw right through him.
    “ You’re looking for something with a little extra kick, though.”
    “Yeah.” Now his nod became more enthusiastic. “Don’t get me wrong, I think the carnival idea is great. But it feels just the smallest bit underutilized. Like something’s still missing.”
    “ I’m guessing you don’t mean a pie-eating contest between the mayor and the chief of police. Although I would personally supply the baked goods if you wanted to go that route,” Jules said, leaning toward him with a spark of interest in her caramel-colored eyes.
    “Thanks,” Blake laughed, both unable and unwilling to tamp down the response. “But I’m thinking something…big. Something that will get everyone in the entire city talking, and more importantly, donating. Something different than the same-old silent auction stuff.”
    Somethi ng Jeremy would’ve loved.
    “What about a bachelor and bachelorette auction? ”
    He pulled back, his chair scraping against the tiled floor.  “You mean like a riff on one of those reality TV shows?”
    “Sure. They’re pretty popular, so it would give you a decent draw, especially from outside the regular board-of-trustees crowd. The proceeds would go to the foundation, and the dates would be all in good fun. Everybody wins.”
    Jules scooped up the pen she’d discarded a few minutes ago , scratching out notes in earnest on a paper napkin as she kept talking. “There’s got to be a handful of eligible singles on the medical staff who would play along for a good cause. Oooh, maybe you could even get Aaron to help round up some firefighters. I bet they’d go for a mint.”
    The idea swirled through his brain as she spoke, picking up speed and intensity. “We do have some people in the emergency department who might go for this kind of thing.” Blake’s thoughts zeroed in on his cocky colleague, Dr. Cross, and he added, “We’d have to set some ground rules, but it shouldn’t be too hard.”
    Convincing his mother might be a little more challenging, but if he got all the details into place first, she’d have a hard time saying no, especially for this charity. Plus, this was a perfect complement to the more traditional silent auction, with just enough edge to make it fresh.
    It was exactly what he’d been looking for.
    “Thanks.” Blake took the ink-smudged napkin from Jules’s fingers, the excitement of the fresh plan still sparking in his chest. “I’ll have to work out the logistics, but this is a really great idea.”
    “ No problem,” she said over a shrug and smile combo that did sudden, wicked things below his belt. “It’s nice to know all my late-night TV watching is good for something.”
    “So you’re not spending your late nights with someone, then?”
    Damn it . Impulse had dared the question right past the limits of propriety but Blake held up a hand before she could reply. “You know what, I apologize. That’s totally none of my business. I think we’re set here for now, so I can just—”
    “No.”
    “Sorry?”
    Her heart-shaped mouth quirked into a smile. “If I don’t get to apologize, then neither do you. No, I’m not spending my late nights with anyone.”
    Oh . Hell. The next six weeks were going to last an absolute ice age, only there wouldn’t be anything cold about working with this woman.
    On even more impulse, Blake reached between to the tight space between them, slowly cupping his palm beneath Jules’s elbow. “I thought you said you weren’t having any trouble with this.”
    “I’m not.” The answer sprang from her lips on in grained toughness, but he met her brash cover head-on.
    “Jules, this bandage is hanging on for dear life. Your poker face might be better than mine, but I’m still calling your bluff.”
    It only took a few strides to reach the first aid kit on the wall, then a few more to re-trace his way back to the table, and he flipped the