Fall Into Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

all the way around.”
    “Well, I’m not going to argue with you there.” She folded her arms over her chest and tapped the toe of her boot on the scuffed wood floor. “So does your new girlfriend know you’re here?”
    Brows raised, he grimaced. “Not yet.”
    “I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.” Needing something to do with her hands since he obviously wasn’t going to leave and strangling him would result in her having to wear a really ugly orange jumpsuit, she picked up a bar towel and began polishing a highball glass. “What do you want from me, Cookie? Absolution?”
    “No.” He shook his head. “I just couldn’t leave things the way they were.”
    “You left them that way for more than two weeks.”
    His shoulders lifted and fell with a deep breath. “I don’t have an excuse for that, except I—”
    “Except you were a bastard. We covered that.” She set the glass aside, picked up another. Darn it, he actually seemed sorry, more than Jim had been when he’d showed up to retrieve his ring. Shoot, she’d known this one was decent. “So do you love her? Are you happy with her?”
    “Yes. And yes.” Even so, the tight set of his jaw spoke of his true remorse for the way he’d treated her.
    Angel ran the towel around the inside rim of the glass. “Well, I hope she appreciates it. You know, that you love her.”
    The first hint of a smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “I think she does.”
    With a less than ladylike snort, Angel swapped glasses. “Bet Tick doesn’t.”
    “You have no idea.”
    A remnant of feminine pique enjoyed that thought. Maybe that evened things out. She nodded. “So we’re good then—”
    “Hey, Angel.” Troy Lee’s low tenor voice vibrated between them. He leaned on the bar next to Cookie and grinned at her. “Tell me I left my new pack of guitar strings here.”
    My God, the boy had a great smile, all dimples and white teeth against tanned skin and a little touch of stubble. No wonder he set hearts aflutter everywhere he went, with that grin and those bright blues. She gestured toward her office. “You did. Didn’t your mama teach you to keep up with your stuff?”
    He made an amused grunt in his throat. “Christine? You should see her studio. She can’t keep up with anything.”
    Cookie rolled his eyes. “Hey, math genius. We were having a conversation.”
    Math genius? She cast a speculative glance at Troy Lee then turned her best “whatever” look on Cookie. “Our conversation was over. You were a bastard, I’m grudgingly forgiving you, and now it’s time for you to go home to the girlfriend.” She bestowed a winning smile on Troy Lee. “Deputy Farr here and I have to schedule some band dates.”
    “Right. Thanks, Angel. Good night.” Cookie saluted her with his index finger and disappeared into the smoky air and chattering crowd.
    Angel pulled a Corona, popped the top and placed it before Troy Lee along with the small bowl of lime wedges. “You call your mother Christine?”
    “Stepmother. Long story.” He flashed that grin again and jerked a thumb in the direction of Cookie’s retreat. “What was that all about?”
    “One-night stand. Long story.”
    “We’ll have to trade later.” He stuffed a lime into the bottle. “Although your story is probably more interesting than mine.”
    “Doubtful.” No way she was giving him that anecdote. Food, maybe. “Have you eaten?”
    He squinted at the ceiling in simulated concentration before his teeth gleamed in a smile. “Not since lunch.”
    “Burger or a Big Cheesy?”
    “Burger.” Beer in hand, he came around the bar and followed her into the kitchen. He rested his hips on the prep table and lifted the bottle to his lips. My, he was a long drink of water, tall and toned with lean muscles rippling under that faded Dave Matthews T-shirt. Too bad she wasn’t ten years younger and totally off men for life. His gaze lingered on her like a palpable touch while she slapped a patty on the