The Name of the Game by Jennifer Dawson Read Free Book Online Page B

should be happy about this turn of events. In fact, this worked in his favor, since they were as incompatible as two people could be. Even if attraction existed, there was no future there. The thought of all her chaos in his well-ordered life was enough to give him hives.
    Now that things were settled he’d be able to have a nice, cordial relationship with her. He’d treat her like he treated his coworkers. Since she’d decided to stop baiting him, he, in turn, would stop thinking about her sassy mouth. He’d force himself to stop thinking about ways he could put all that energy she had to good use. Or what it would be like to—no, stop.
    No traveling down that road. He’d spent years mastering the art of discipline, and he’d apply the same principles to his relationship with her.
    Eventually his willpower would win. It always did.
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    Gracie had given up on sleep and crept downstairs to sit in the bay window of Shane and Cecilia’s new house. She hadn’t wanted to stay, insisting that the couple should be alone on their first night, but they’d refused to listen. Seeing how Mitch and Maddie stayed as well, Gracie didn’t have a great argument for going to a hotel.
    She sighed. Her body was exhausted but her mind wouldn’t let her rest, so here she was, in the dark, amidst half-empty boxes.
    The city skyline was lit up, still awake and alive despite the late hour. Back home it would be pitch-black and dead silent, the sky filled with nothing but a million stars. She stared up into the sky, gray with light pollution, and missed the comfort back home.
    Tonight had confused her. She’d kept her promise and been nice to James. Some of their antagonism seemed to have broken. She should be thankful. But she wasn’t.
    And the thing she hated most was that she couldn’t stop thinking about him. She’d been lying in bed, staring at the newly painted ceiling, unable to stop replaying every interaction she’d had with him today. Sure, she focused on the things that annoyed her—like how he’d had ahi tuna for dinner and berries for dessert, while she’d gorged on molten lava cake—but she didn’t like how she couldn’t stop.
    â€œI thought I heard you,” Cecilia said, and Gracie about jumped out of her skin.
    â€œShit!” she exclaimed, looking over her shoulder. “You scared me.”
    â€œSorry.” Cecilia came over to the window seat alongside her. “Shane says he’s going to put a bell on me so he knows I’m coming.”
    â€œI guess all those years of ballet make you sneaky,” Gracie said, scooting into the corner to give her friend more room.
    Cecilia laughed. “I guess so.”
    Gracie gave Cecilia a sly smirk. “Although, if Shane doesn’t know you’re coming, he’s doing something wrong.”
    A wistful, love-soaked expression floated over Cecilia’s face. “Nothing wrong there. The man is a deviant.”
    Not surprised at all, Gracie grinned. “You lucked out, Ce-ce. I wonder how the professor got so straitlaced.”
    She cringed. Why on earth had she brought him up?
    Cecilia cocked her head to the side. “What makes you think James is straitlaced?”
    She blew out a long breath. Stupid. “Please. Look at him. He’s wound so tight he’s bound to be a dud in the sack.”
    â€œHis ex-girlfriend looked more than willing to take him back,” Cecilia said.
    Gracie shrugged, turning her attention to the window, silently cursing herself for bringing up James. The image of him smiling down at the pretty Lindsey irritated her in away she refused to contemplate. “The skyline sure is pretty. So different from Revival, don’t you think?”
    Cecilia was silent for a long time before she sighed. “Gracie, why don’t you just admit it?”
    â€œAdmit what?” Her heart rate kicked up a beat.
    â€œYou’re