Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger by Lori Copeland Read Free Book Online Page A

deep breath and started over. "What I mean is, I'm sure I do on my other car. I'll call my agent as soon as I get home and check to be sure. I assure you your truck will be taken care of, Jason," she said in her school-teacher-chastising-a-naughty-child voice. Heavens! He must think I'm an idiot! "Look, I'm really sorry about this. It's that darn gas pedal on my truck. It keeps

 

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sticking on me. I certainly didn't single your truck out personally, you know! I made every effort to avoid hitting itwell, for heaven's sake, I could have been hurt, you know,'' she added, her face flushed from the heat, her lavender eyes snapping.
Jason turned his direct, clear gaze back to roam suggestively over her slightly agitated form, looking rather forlorn beside the wrecked truck. "Well, were you?" he asked.
"Was I what?" she shot back, slightly unnerved by his bold appraisal.
"Were you hurt, Jessica?" He was getting a little perturbed now.
She gave an exasperated sigh. "Do I look like I'm hurt?"
A tiny, infuriating grin appeared unwillingly as he observed, "No, little Jessie, you certainly don't look like you've been hurt."
There it was again, that "little Jessie" bit.
"Look," he said brusquely, pulling his eyes away from her, his mind returning to business, "I haven't got all day to stand here. I'm late for an appointment right now."
Jessica's knees felt rubbery and weak now that his gaze had left her. She eyed his truck warily and turned back to him.
"What will you do? You can't drive it like that, can you?"
He looked at her as if he were having to deal with someone who was slightly crazy. "Right," he affirmed.
"You don't have to be sarcastic," she blazed indignantly.
"I didn't mean to be, Jessica," he assured her. "Why don't you drive it home for me?"
She felt the color flooding to her cheeks again.
"I was due at the bank ten minutes ago. When I'm through, I'll have one of my men pick me up." He reached up to take his large Stetson hat off, wiping the sweat from

 

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his dusty brow. Jessica's heart caught in her throat as her eyes fell involuntarily on the mass of thick, golden-brown hair, which by now was nearly blond from endless hours in the hot Texas sun. Her eyes traveled slowly down the cut of the blue western shirt that was moistly molded to his broad, thick chest and the tight-fitting jeans, which made Jessica only too aware of an older, leaner, harder man than the one she had loved so fiercely eight years ago. The familiar weak longing crept silently over her as she forced her attention back to what he was saying. She blushed hotly as she encountered a pair of lazy green eyes mockingly aware of her less than ladylike assessment of him.
''I'll have one of my men check with you tomorrow about the insurance," he stated briskly, then turned and started to walk hurriedly toward the bank.
"Uh . . . Jason." Jessica swallowed hard.
Jason turned momentarily, a scowl of irritation lining his brow. "What now?" he snapped.
"Do you think you might have a few minutes to stop by the house tonight?" Jessica asked meekly, biting her tongue to overcome the feeling of humiliation that flooded her.
Surprise flickered briefly across Jason's face as he came to a dead halt. Turning to face her, he asked cautiously, "Come by your house tonight? Why?"
Jessica felt like the temperature had risen ten degrees, and perspiration began to trickle down her back in rivulets. "I, ahhave something I need to discuss with you, if you could spare a few minutes," she added lamely. This was awful! He was looking at her as if she had just escaped from the looney bin.
Jason continued to study her flustered, hot face for a moment before asking discreetly, "Isn't this something we could settle right now?"
Jessica's spunk returned swiftly. "No, I would need more than fifteen seconds to say what I have to say!"

 

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Jason turned back toward the bank, his long strides moving rapidly away from Jessica. ''I'll be by around seven," he tossed