The Heart's Game (The Kelly Brothers, Book 4) by Crista McHugh Read Free Book Online Page B

should hold out any hope her life would become less complicated any time soon. He’d used the same lines enough to know she just wanted sex. Only now, he was on the receiving end of them, and it left a bitterness in his soul that called for a bottle of Jameson.
    They finished dressing, neither one of them looking the other in the eye, and headed downstairs. Jenny got into her red Altima and took off without another word. Dan climbed into his BMW and drummed on the steering wheel, replaying what had happened upstairs. All he could think about was how awkward dinner would be with her there.
    He pulled out his lucky die and asked, “Did I make a mistake hooking up with her? High, yes. Low, no.”
    Five .
    Better than the ambivalent ten I got last time . He picked it up and said, “High, I should leave her alone and see how this plays out. Low, I should chase after her and demand answers.”
    Twenty .
    Well, that’s fucking clear .
    He swapped the die for his phone and dialed Paul’s number. “Hey, I’m feeling a bit worn out after this week and—”
    “Don’t tell me you’re going to bail on us, too? Jenny just called and said she had a family emergency, so she won’t be coming.”
    That’s because she’s already come . The image of her on the Iron Throne lost in her own ecstasy flashed through his mind, and he grew hard. He rubbed his eyes to erase the memories before he did something stupid like ask Paul for her phone number or address.
    At least that solved one problem—he wouldn’t have to pretend like nothing happened over dinner. “No, it’s just that my mind blanked on me, and I forgot the name of the restaurant.”
    Once he got that info from Paul, Dan entered it into his GPS and followed the directions along the lake road.
    It was probably a good thing she didn’t want to get involved. Now he wouldn’t feel tempted to break his own rule about never getting seriously involved with a woman, especially a fellow gamer. But the hollowness in his chest made him wonder if Jenny would be the one girl worth breaking the rules for.

Chapter Four
     
    Shit! He’s here .
    Jenny popped a watermelon Jolly Rancher in her mouth to quell the rising surge of nausea that formed when she spotted Dan’s car in Paul’s driveway. Of course he would be there. They’d added him to their game. Worse, he was battling her for the team rogue.
    She took a deep breath and blew it out through her nostrils. Combined with the hard candy, it usually seemed to quiet the morning sickness that had been hitting her with a vengeance. Thankfully, she’d only puked twice that week. The queasiness subsided, and she got out of the car.
    Awkward or not, she wasn’t going to let Dan keep her from enjoying a game she’d been a part of for the last five years. He was the newbie, not her.
    After exchanging greetings with everyone, she settled into her chair across the table from him. Dan’s eyes flickered to Paul’s Iron Throne, and her cheeks immediately burned. She must have been suffering from pregnancy induced insanity last week. But as the heat in her cheek settled lower, the craving to have him again took over. She’d had a taste of great sex, and now she wanted more.
    God, I’m like a friggin’ junkie. I refuse to make the same mistake again .
    Dan leaned back in his chair and gave her a smirk that told her he knew how much she wanted him.
    Conceited prick.
    But well earned . She turned away before she climbed across the table and propositioned him. I refuse to make the same mistake again .
    The game got underway, and before long, she was presented with an opportunity to let her rogue skills shine.
    “In the center of the room is a jeweled chest that is locked,” Paul announced to the group.
    “Jewels? As in treasure?” she asked. “Let me at that bad boy.”
    “I’d be careful if I were you,” Dan replied.
    “What kind of rogue are you?” she shot back, sinking into character. “It’s free money, and I have just the