BREAKAWAY (The Dartmouth Cobras) Read Online Free PDF Page A

take it personally if you're not chosen for the pictures. The magazine has been very specific as to what they're looking for. And posing does not guarantee anyone a spot in the final round. Make sure you look your best out there and forget about the silly promo." A blush rose high on the woman's cheeks as she looked over at Sebastian. "No offense."
    Silly promo? Are you kidding me? Jami took a quick look around the room at her competition. One of them would be chosen to take pictures with him . Unless she got herself noticed. Or . . . Who do I have to kill to get picked?
    "No offense taken, Madame." Sebastian clasped one hand to his wrist behind his back and strolled around the room in a wide circle. Jami and Akira scrambled to the empty mats at the back of the room, barely managing to compose themselves before he reached them. His gaze didn't stay on Akira long as she cowered on her mat in a half-crouched position, but they locked on Jami as she knelt. " Eso se ve bien , preciosa ."
    Is it horrible that I don't care what that means? As long as he kept looking at her like she was the only woman in the room. Kept talking to her in that voice that languidly melted through her like hot caramel drizzling into her core. If he did all that, he could say— or do —whatever he wanted to her.
    The workout room had turned into a sauna. The instructor was showing the other girls a routine, but they all faded away as Sebastian moved closer to her. Her lips parted as he reached down and brushed a lightly calloused fingertip along her jaw.
    "Very pretty, mi cielo." The edge of his mouth tilted up as he lifted a strand of her hair. "You are different than the other girls. I will position you how I like."
    The heat from his single touch spread everywhere. Her eyes widened and she barely avoided squeaking. "Position?"
    His brow furrowed slightly. "I am sorry, that came out wrong. Your instructor and I have chosen you for the photo shoot. With me." He took his hand from her hair and gave Akira a tender smile. "You have been chosen as well."
    Akira looked ready to pass out.
    Sebastian took a knee in front of her. "Little one, take a breath for me." The alluring quality in his voice seemed to have been toned down, releasing Jami from its thrall and calming Akira. As the small girl obediently took a breath, Sebastian's smile broadened. "Very good. Now, you will not do this since it makes you uncomfortable."
    "But—"
    "No. We will find someone else. Stay here and dance, pequena ." He rose to his feet and held his hand out to Jami. "You will come with me."
    Her hand was almost in his before she caught herself. Her body might be willing to go wherever he took her, her brain kicked in with a great big 'Slow down'. She was here to prove something to her father. And herself. If she didn’t learn the moves, getting bumped ahead of all the hopefuls wouldn’t count for anything. It was all on her now.
    Ugh. Can’t you save the dedication for another time?
    The naughty little voice in her head wasn’t gonna win this time. Besides, she had changed. Last year she would have flirted shamelessly and made it clear he just had to say where and when. She'd been wild and reckless. Grandma called it stupid.
    'You can have fun without getting yourself in trouble, girly,' Grandma had said after Grandpa Fred found her in the old shed behind their house with the boy next door. 'Make the boys work for it, you'll both enjoy it more.'
    No one would consider Sebastian a boy, but hell, if he wanted her, why make it easy for him?
    She withdrew her hand slowly.
    "I'm sorry, Mr. Ramos, but I haven't learned the routine yet and this is my last chance." Okay, she'd need more than one session to learn the moves and do them without coming across as a clumsy, two-left-footed monkey, but he didn't need to know that. "Can I meet up with you after you're finished with the other girls?"
    His brow furrowed slightly, but he nodded. "You may. Fourth floor, office 409."
    "All