First and Ten Read Online Free PDF Page A

followed by a big man.
    “Jerome?” the man said and Jerome turned to
Dani.
    “Guess I’ll see you after we’re both
done.”
    Dani placed her mug on the table and replied.
“Maybe.”

Chapter
Three
     
    Dani let her breath out slowly, not even
registering what the masseuse was saying. She did notice the woman
had pointed to a hook before she walked out of the room. Right,
Dani shook her head to get it on straight. Stripping down to just a
pair of panties, she hung her robe on the hook then turned to pull
the sheet back when the door opened.
    “I’m not ready,” she said quickly, covering
her chest.
    “I’m sorry,” a deep baritone replied. On
instinct she turned around and snapped back, snatching the sheet to
cover herself before turning back to confront the interloper.
    “I didn’t see anything,” Jerome said as he
held one hand out and had another over his eyes. “I swear. I’m
sorry.”
    “Mr. Speed, you can see a two-foot hole in
the middle of chaos. Don’t play me for a fool. You at least saw my
ass.”
    “Guess we both got a Tuesday Treat.” He
lowered his hands and Dani held in the smirk his comment induced.
“I guess I’ll have to sign a contract with you now.”
    “I don’t have an opening for you.”
    The comment caused a tingling and tightening
in one particular opening in desperate need of filling. Warmth
exploded on her cheeks and Jerome arched an eyebrow at her. Could
he smell her desperation or the fact she couldn’t be around him for
two minutes without imagining her hands exploring his body? She
wondered if Speed could really kill. If so, it would be the only
way she’d want to go.
    “Is it because I’m black?” he asked and her
heart sank. “Because I noticed you only had white clients the other
day, but then you gave me advice like you were there for an
interview.”
    “I’m busy, that’s all.”
    “Or you realized Daddy might find out you’re
dressing a black man and—”
    “I have black clients.”
    “Let me guess, some of your best
friends.”
    “Wow, you went there,” Dani growled with her
arms crossed. “How about tucking the race card away in your back
pocket and save it for a real situation. I’m busy… I have a
life.”
    “Busy, with massages and…you only work a few
days a week. What else do you do?”
    “Excuse me,” her therapist said as she came
in the room. “I really need to start Danika’s session.”
    Jerome looked at Dani, who tried to not get
lost in his coffee colored eyes.
    “Fine,” Dani caved more to remove the smell
of testosterone sending her hormones into overdrive. “I’ll send the
contracts to Randall and we’ll have an initial assessment.”
    “Don’t do me any favors.” He left and Dani
sat back on the massage table. What the hell?
    After the least relaxing massage in her life,
Dani yanked on her clothes as if they had somehow mistreated her.
While Dani drank from a custom water bottle for the salon, she
wandered through the back hallways with the pan flute music above
irritating her more. The need for pounding dance music burned in
her.
    Damn Jerome Speed and his chocolate eyes and
body. He opened the door to his room causing Dani to jump back.
He’d just pulled his shirt over his head and her eyes caught sight
of the last row of what she assumed was a six pack… mmm maybe
eight .
    The combination made her jump then snap to.
What if he thought it was because he was black that she jumped and
not from the unexpected noise?
    “I don’t have any issues with you being
black,” she stated plainly as she crossed her arms. “Not everything
is a race issue.”
    Jerome ran his hand over his face, then took
his own bottle of water from his masseuse who looked at both of
them and headed for the hills. With droopy eyes, Jerome turned and
walked toward reception.
    “I’m talking to you,” she spat.
    “You want a cookie,” he grumbled. “An Oreo or
an un-oh the ones that are white cookies with a