Playing With Fire by Cathy McDavid Read Free Book Online

Lindsay becoming a free woman.
    Itchy and restless, he leaped to his feet, taking his pillow with him. What the hell? He'd try Joey's bed. And if that didn't work, he'd continue moving until he either fell asleep or keeled over from exhaustion. Fortunately, he succumbed within seconds. His last waking thought was of Lindsay and what it might feel like to have her snuggled up beside him.
* * * *
    Lindsay stood at the front door of Joey's house, her trembling fingers clutching the spare key he'd given her for emergencies. She'd parked at the curb instead of the empty driveway because she hadn't wanted to risk Joey hearing her arrival, thereby ruining the surprise. The truth of the matter was she needed the short walk to gather her courage. Somewhere between Naughty But Nice and her elaborate preparations for the evening's seduction, Lindsay had lost her nerve. Only Mahina's hovering presence had kept Lindsay from abandoning her plans altogether.
    She'd bathed, shaved her legs, and moisturized her skin, all with products purchased that afternoon. Then she'd donned her new outfit and covered herself with, of all things, a raincoat. She'd kidded with Mahina about being a flasher. In the pocket of the raincoat, she'd placed the bare necessities: her wallet, two condoms, and a small bottle of scented oil. She'd almost turned back half a dozen times on the drive there but managed to talk herself out of it.
    Not a single light shone in the house, but that meant nothing. Joey left for work at the crack of dawn, so he was usually in bed by nine o'clock at night. With Matt out of town, he must have parked his truck in the garage.
    Closing her eyes, Lindsay drew several deep breaths, willing her racing heart to slow down and her upset stomach to settle. If only she had more experience with men, maybe then she'd be excited instead of afraid. What she knew about sex would fill four pages of a hundred page book.
    Mahina had assured Lindsay her inexperience wouldn't matter, saying, “One look at you in that outfit and trust me, your skills in bed will be the last thing on Joey's mind."
    The outfit did boost her confidence. The memory of herself standing in front of her full-length mirror, looking like one of those fashion models from a Victoria's Secret catalog, gave her the encouragement she needed to insert the key and unlock the door.
    It swung open on a soft whoosh. She gingerly stepped into the cool, air-conditioned living room and listened. No signs of movement. Her entry hadn't wakened Joey. She shrugged off her raincoat and draped it over her arm. Goose bumps immediately formed on her exposed skin. Her teeth chattered, so she clenched them tightly together. At the hallway, she slipped off her sandals and nudged them into a corner.
    Skimming her fingers along the wall, she guided herself down the dimly lit hallway. Outside the bathroom, her foot collided with something hard, and she jumped back.
    "Shit!” She slapped a hand over her mouth.
    Cold water seeped between her toes while a fat drop splattered onto her head. Realizing what had happened, she set the bowl back under the leak and tried to find her bearings. Joey's room was the first door on the right, opposite the spare bedroom. The master bedroom, Matt's room, was at the end of the hall. For a split second, her trepidation vanished, but when her hand encountered Joey's closed bedroom door, it returned with a vengeance.
    "You've come this far. Don't chicken out now,” she whispered.
    Calling on the steely determination which had seen her through any number of difficult situations, Lindsay grasped the door handle and pushed. Inside the room, she hesitated, giving her eyes the opportunity to adjust. A body, long and definitely male, lay in the bed, the lower half covered by a brightly colored sheet. A flash of lightning illuminated the window, allowing Lindsay to make out a bare back, lean hips, and muscled legs that reached almost to the foot of the bed. An arm tossed carelessly