Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

standing with his shirt dangling from his fingertips, but when Jessica’s eyes widened a fraction, he tightened his ab muscles. He exercised nearly every day, but eating Jessica’s food made it harder to keep his weight down, so he had been working out more intensely in the weight room and had bulked up with more muscle than he normally had. “Where y’all heading to?” he asked innocently, and glanced in question at Jessica.
    “Y’all?” Jessica gave him a cool arch of one eyebrow. “Really?”
    “Mom!” Madison said, and shot her mother a frown. “Sorry. She’s hormonal,” Madison added in a stage whisper.
    “Madison!” Jessica sputtered, and pressed her lips together. “I simply didn’t like him poking fun at the Southern way of speaking here.”
    “I wouldn’t do that,” Ty quietly assured her, and meantit. He wondered why she had such a burr up her butt where he was concerned, and right then and there, he made a pact with himself to steal a hot kiss from the cool-as-a-cucumber birthday girl. He vowed that he’d have her melting faster than the candles on her cake. Then he took his sweet time tugging the shirt over his head, giving her an extended view of his bare chest.
    “Nice abs,” Jessica surprised him by saying. But before he could decide whether or not to thank her or if she was poking fun at his attempt to show off, she turned on her heel. “Come on, Madison. That martini is calling my name.”
    “
Y’all
going to Sully’s?” Ty called after them.
    “Yes,” Madison answered when her mother kept on walking. “It’s her—,” she began but was given a shot to the ribs in warning.
    “First martini is on me,” Ty shouted.
    “Okay, but you might want to turn your shirt around first,” Jessica tossed over her shoulder without breaking stride.
    Ty looked down and grinned. Damned if it wasn’t on backward. So much for being a stud muffin. More like a dork muffin with sprinkles on top. “I just wanted to see if you were paying attention,” he called after them, and when Jessica’s shoulders shook up and down, he smiled. Laughter . . . It was a start. “Guess you were!” he added, and then shook his head while he turned his shirt around. He wished he were sitting in Sully’s, waiting for her to be surprised, but then frowned. He just bet that Jessica wanted no part of this birthday-bash business, and was hit with an unexpected longing to be at her side, holding her hand so he could give her a reassuring squeeze. Jessica Robinson put on a tough-girl act, but there was a vulnerable quality in her expressive amber eyes that brought out a protective side Ty didn’t even know he had. He might go to Wine and Diner several times a week to sample the amazing menu, but, to be honest, there was much more to
it than that. Jessica was an intelligent, vibrant woman, and lately their conversations had broadened from talking about food and baseball to a variety of other subjects. He often stayed long after his meal was over and could usually entice her to join him for coffee. On top of that, he found her sexy as hell. All he needed to do was get her to let her guard down.
    “Damn . . .” Ty shut the trunk of his car and then leaned against the back fender. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to make some sense of the situation as he watched mother and daughter walk away. He could see Madison’s hands waving while she talked, and wished he knew what she was saying to her mother. Jessica’s head shook, making her sleek ponytail swing back and forth, and Ty suddenly wondered what her deep golden blond hair would look like loose and falling in soft waves past her shoulders. He imagined the silky texture brushing against his bare skin, and groaned.
    Ty was no stranger to lust and knew his way around a woman’s body, but usually as soon as he felt any warm and fuzzy feelings, he’d run like the hounds of hell were after him. Ty inhaled a deep breath and stared down at his Nikes.