Cin Wikkid: April Fools For Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

scarred side, crinkling his grin into a rakish, devil-may-care expression. “Hours of intense work, one-on-one, with you? Oh, yeah. I’m up for it.”
    The way he purred “ up for it” implied things beyond study. Physical things that sent Cin’s stomach swooping. Her pulse pattered rapidly in response.
    Then his eyes dropped to her mouth and heated.
    Her whole body went boom .
    She trembled, her heart pounding, her breath sawing in and out, on the cusp of bright truth. Her stepsiblings’ jealousy had taught her to cover herself in bad makeup and baggy clothes and work, the contemporary version of sacks and ashes. But Rafe, looking at her as if he was not only attracted to her but was on fire …God. She wanted to tear off her rags and shine.
    Clearing her throat, she managed, “The only problem is where.”
    “Where? Where what?” His heated look was replaced by blinking confusion.
    “Where can you and I study? I’m afraid we can’t use my place, and the public library is probably out—since I’m sure we’ll get loud on occasion.”
    “Loud?” He gave her a quick grin. “Well, maybe sometimes.”
    Does he mean…?
    She swallowed hard. “Presentation will be difficult enough to teach without having to worry about Peeping Toms…” Yikes. She coughed and tried again. “I’d suggest the technical college, but most of my free time is after eleven at night. The college is too far away for me to get there easily that late.”
    “So, we need a place that’s nearby, open late, and has rooms where we can be alone—loud?” One raised brow echoed the question mark.
    He had meant what she thought. A blushing heat rose up her neck to her cheeks. “Where we can talk, yes. Since I assume coaching me will involve a lot of talking—”
    “Relax.”
    He bent forward and silenced her with a finger gently pressed to her lips. All the air left her lungs. His skin was warm and his finger felt nice pillowed against her mouth.
    “I know what you meant, and I also know exactly the place.” He released her to pick up his backpack. Taking a card from one of the pockets, he wrote on the back.
    He handed her the card just as a jangling started in her backpack—her cell phone.
    Her breath returned in a rush. Her employer, Manny, had insisted each employee carry a phone to receive scheduling texts. The only way she could afford it was by begging her stepmother to add her to the family plan. Ten dollars a month, added grudgingly, paid for by Cin—and every questionable phone number on the call detail challenged stridently by Mrs. Wikkid—but Cin had considered it a gift at the time.
    Something told her she was about to pay for that gift. She asked Rafe’s pardon with a sheepish expression and received a grin and a nod in answer. Extracting the phone, she saw MANNY in the caller ID window. Not as bad as her stepmother, but it could only be for one thing. With a sigh, she answered, “Cin Wikkid.”
    “I wouldn’t call if I weren’t desperate.” Manny had a gravely, long-haul voice from years of smoking and over-the-road driving. He’d bought the sub shop franchise with hard-earned money and had worked just as hard to earn his employees’ respect.
    “I know.” Even as she answered, she knew what was coming. “But I’m in the middle of a meeting—”
    “Brenda called in sick, and Amy’s down with the flu. I really need you here.”
    “Now?”
    “Actually, ten minutes ago.”
    She raised her gaze to Rafe.
    His expression was so kind and understanding she wanted to weep. Covering the phone with a palm, she said to him, “I’m so sorry. Can we meet another time?”
    “Sure.” But even as he said it, he shot to his feet and turned away, shrugging into his jacket.
    Is he really angry with me?
    Cold invaded her chest. With him busy with his jacket, she couldn’t see his expression. Not knowing what else to do, she said into the phone, “Okay, Manny. I’m coming.”
    Limbs icy, she creaked to her feet. Rafe