Rock with You (Risking It All) by Rachel Lacey Read Free Book Online Page A

bring me out of my slump.”
    “The duet,” she said.
    “If it works out.”
    “I hope it does.” She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. “My bakery has been in a slump since I took over the reins from my grandmother, too. Profits are way down.”
    “Well, it sure as hell isn’t a reflection of your baking skills. Maybe you need some advice on the business end of things.”
    “Maybe.” She looked away. “I’ve been too embarrassed to ask for help.”
    “Your grandma still around?” he asked.
    “Yeah. She comes in a few mornings a week for breakfast.” A soft smile curved her lips.
    “Then you know who to ask for advice.”
    She pressed a hand over her eyes. “I’ve been so afraid of letting her down, but you’re right. She’ll know exactly what to do.”
    It was on the tip of his tongue to say he wanted to come back to A Piece of Cake someday, to see her again, maybe meet her grandma. But he knew better than to make promises he couldn’t keep.
    *  *  *
    The world outside looked like it had been dipped in glass. A thick coating of ice covered everything in sight, shimmering in color now as the sun began to set. Carly stood at the big window in the living room, looking out at the frozen landscape. “We should bring in some more firewood before it gets dark.”
    “On it.” Sam grabbed the wood carrier and walked to the back door.
    She watched as he crossed the back deck and filled the carrier with firewood. Thank goodness this place was stocked with plenty of it. They could have made do without a fire in the fireplace, but having it had made things so much more comfortable.
    Her gaze fell to a stack of board games on a shelf beside the door. Grinning, she crouched beside it for a closer look. There was everything from Trivial Pursuit to Charades, and oh, this could be fun.
    Sam stepped back inside with a basket full of wood. “This should last us until morning.”
    “So should these,” she said, carrying an armload of games to the coffee table.
    He glanced over his shoulder as he stacked wood in front of the fireplace, eyebrows raised. “You sure about this?”
    Her grin widened. “Better bring your A-game, hot shot.”
    “Never leave home without it.” He rummaged through the stack, coming up with a game called Battle of the Sexes: Blind Date Edition. “Sounds appropriate.”
    “So it does.” She sat on the floor opposite him while he dumped out the cards.
    The game proved to be pretty silly, testing their knowledge about the opposite sex with various trivia questions, but Carly hopped up for a victory dance after she correctly identified a photo of an Allen wrench, winning the game.
    “Rematch,” Sam declared.
    They played another round of Battle of the Sexes—which got a lot more interesting after they started drinking—before moving on to Jenga, then Sorry. By then, they’d polished off two rounds of rum and Coke, and there was a whole lot of trash talk as they maneuvered their way around the board, bumping each other’s pawns. After she crushed Sam in Sorry, he held up Twister, an evil grin on his face.
    “Oh, you’re asking for it now.” She jumped to her feet, swaying slightly.
    “This is where I get my revenge,” he said as he spread the mat out on the floor.
    She couldn’t stop giggling. “I haven’t played this game since I was a kid.” And she had an idea it might turn out very differently as adults.
    It started out innocently enough. Left hand on a red circle. Right foot on blue. When she spun right foot on yellow, he purposefully reached his body over hers so that she’d have to crouch.
    “Is that the best you can do?” she asked, stooped awkwardly beneath him. Then inspiration struck. She straightened her legs, bringing her butt solidly against the fly of his jeans.
    “Now you’re fighting dirty,” he said.
    “Am I?” She wiggled her hips against him, causing him to suck in a breath.
    He reached over her to spin. Left hand on green. Soon they were