Taming Mad Max by Theresa Ragan Read Free Book Online Page B

voice, and the fact that she rambled on about her job as a veterinarian, made his mind wander.
    As Cole ordered another round of drinks, Max found himself thinking about Kari. There was more to Kari than carbohydrates and calcium supplements. He just needed more time to figure her out. She was sexy and mysterious; a heady combination that made him wonder what life could have been like if he wasn’t headed to an early grave. He’d been thinking about marriage and family a lot lately, which shouldn’t have surprised him considering he always wanted what he couldn’t have.
    His date must have moved her chair when he wasn’t looking because suddenly she was sitting so close her leg had become one with his. She rested her long, pink fingernails on his arm. “Tell me, Max. Why’s a good-looking guy like you still single?”
    Max raised one eyebrow. “Just lucky, I guess.” He took a swig of his beer, 155 calories, 13.4g carbs, and swallowed a twinge of guilt by going off the “plan” Kari had set up for him. He looked around, past the fire pit and toward the entrance leading from the patio to the pool and bar where people were dancing.
    What was he doing here?
    He grew tired of blind dates years ago, but Cole promised him this particular girl was different, just a regular gal, he said.
    His date must have thought he was joking about being lucky because she laughed, leaned her chest into his arm, and whispered, “I bet you’re built like a horse.”
    Max nearly spit out his beer.
    Sure, he’d hung out with a lot of loose women over the years, groupies as some of his teammates liked to call them, women who liked to party and considered it a challenge to get laid by a pro athlete, but this girl just hadn’t struck him as the groupie type. For one thing, her clothes weren’t too tight and her makeup wasn’t too heavy. But he was pretty sure a “regular gal” wouldn’t ask him if he was built like a horse on the first date. Before he had time to respond, both girls stood.
    Relief flooded through him. He looked up at the ladies. “Leaving so soon?” He stood to see them off. “It was nice meeting you—”
    “Max,” Cole interrupted.
    Max turned to Cole.
    “They’re going to the ladies room.”
    “Oh.” His date did not look pleased. Her dimples completely disappeared and her eyes lost all their sparkly cuteness. He forced a smile, dropped to his seat, and hoped he sounded sincere when he said, “Hurry back.”
    Both women gave him a pitiful look before they headed off in the other direction.
    “What’s wrong with you?” Cole asked, leaning into the table, looking more perturbed than worried.
    “Nothing. Why?”
    “I set you up with a beautiful girl and you stare off into space like you have somewhere else you’d rather be.”
    “Yeah, well, after listening to what she had to say about hairballs and reproductive organs, she wanted to know if I was built like a horse. I don’t know if she wants to ‘neuter’ me or ‘do’ me. I thought you said she was a ‘regular’ girl.”
    “She’s a veterinarian. You can’t get more regular than that. The moment she starts to whinny though, you’re free to go, no questions asked. Otherwise, don’t screw this up. Contrary to what the public may think about women falling at my feet, it’s been way too long since I’ve gotten any.”
    Max didn’t have much to say in response to that. He knew the feeling, but the truth of the matter was there wasn’t any chemistry between him and the veterinarian. According to the NFL, at thirty-three, he was getting old, which must be true, since he’d never given a damn about chemistry before.
    “So, did you hear the latest scoop on Williamson?” Cole asked.
    Max shook his head. He liked Williamson. He was a team player and he did a damn good job of keeping everyone’s spirits up when the Condors needed it most.
    “They traded him to Seattle. I guess the young back didn’t get much action in the preseason. He said