The Ace by Rhonda Shaw Read Free Book Online

stunning to the point that there were moments when he could only stare in awe. Combine that with her feisty personality and quick mouth, a rare combination in his experience, and Jerry was definitely intrigued.
    Karen glanced his way with a snicker. “Boy, all you ballplayers are mental cases.”
    He grinned, displaying perfectly straight teeth. “In more ways than one, baby.”
    “And you’re the biggest head case of them all.”
    “In more ways than one.”
    “You’re an idiot,” she said with a laugh, making her blue eyes brighten.
    “You have a nice laugh,” he said, still smiling, but his eyes were serious. “You should do it more often.”
    The smile fell from her face and her cheeks flamed in embarrassment. In an instant, she looked irritated, and almost unnerved, before she turned away from him, seeming to examine the dark backyard, quickly putting the conversation to rest.
    Jerry watched her profile as he tried to decipher her mixed messages, wondering how she could go from open and carefree to closed off almost instantly. She was definitely a complex woman and as much as he should be avoiding that, his fascination with her only seemed to grow.
    He didn’t say anything for a moment, trying to decide if he wanted to take that next step and if he did, if he wanted to do it with Karen. Finding out she was a real estate agent seemed almost too perfect, given his recent thoughts toward purchasing a home. Recalling the spark he’d felt pass between them on Opening Day, he cleared his throat. “I want to ask you a favor. I was wondering if you’d show me some houses.”
    * * *
    Karen turned back toward him, her interest piqued and not just because she might be able to spend more time with him—a no-brainer—but because she would actually be paid to do it, as well. A win-win situation for her. “You want to buy a house?”
    He nodded. “Thinking about it. I just signed a new contract and so it looks like I’ll be here for a while. The condo thing is gettin’ old and cramped, and I’ve been thinking about how nice it would be to have a house where I can spread out.”
    “Okay. Where do you want to look?”
    “Around this area. I like it here in Royal Oak.”
    “Why don’t you just build something?” she asked, wondering why he wouldn’t want to start brand new, especially since he could afford anything he wanted.
    He shrugged. “I could and I might still, but it doesn’t hurt to see what’s out there, no?”
    “And what’s your price range? What are you looking for?”
    “How about this? I’ll tell you what’s most important to me and you can pick the rest. I want a nice big backyard and a nice big, finished basement.”
    Karen waited, and when she saw he wasn’t going to add more, she pressed on, unable to believe his only concerns were that it had a backyard and a basement, that she could show him anything she wanted as long as it had those two things. That seemed too easy, as well as too good to be true. “And?”
    “And that’s it. Nothing else. You pick the rest. I trust you have good taste.”
    “My taste could be a double-wide trailer,” she teased.
    “Well, then I guess I’ll get a nice double-wide trailer on a big lot,” he replied with a grin of his own.
    She gave a little laugh. “You’re impossible. Okay, what’s the price range then? That’s most important.”
    When he didn’t respond, she almost fell out of her chair. “What? Don’t tell me no price range.”
    “Okay, I won’t tell you that.”
    “Seriously? Wow, okay. I’ve got free rein on that then.” She could already see the number of zeros on her cut of the sale. It would be beautiful.
    Jerry laughed. “I wouldn’t say free rein. It has to be within reason. I mean, I’m not paying two mil for an eight-hundred-square-foot box. I don’t need anything monstrous and fancy since it’s just me. I just need a nice, comfy house where I can kick my feet up or entertain if needed. Don’t focus on the