If You Dare Read Online Free PDF Page A

girl.
    Rarely did the girl part of the equation come into play. The girls brought to these parties were like amaretto truffles at a chocoholic’s convention. Pretty to look at, but gone in no time at all.
    The women with standing invitations wouldn’t dream of dating any of the guys. Sleeping with, maybe. But not dating. No sense in pursuing useless causes with a bunch of grown men who liked to play with their million dollar toys and didn’t have time in their upwardly mobile lives for relationships.
    Joe shook his head and lifted the first burgers off the grill. “Sorry about that. Just got distracted.”
    He didn’t have to say with what. Keith just nudged and winked before shooting a longing look in Cordelia’s direction. “She is a looker, isn’t she? Not at all what I was expecting.”
    Joe followed his friend’s line of sight and had to work at taking his eyes away from Cordelia afterwards. “Yeah. I wonder how well Irene knows her sister.”
    As he answered, Keith put the new patties on the grill. “It’s kind of hard to believe they’re sisters. Irene’s so tall and out there, you know. Loud, funny, sexy. Her sister’s pretty enough, but she’s a little quiet.”
    Joe just shook his head. “Well, you know what they say about the quiet ones. And pretty enough? Hell, the woman’s gorgeous.”
    Keith laughed. “I’m just joking, man. Giving you a hard time because watching you watching her is like a study in psychology. She’s blown you away. It’s about time the mighty Joe Sterling fell.”
    Joe waved off his words. “I haven’t fallen. This is fun. Temporary fun.”
    Keith shrugged. “Yeah. It looks like fun all right.” He paused and Joe tried to pry his eyes away from the almost holy sight of Cordelia peeling away the green sarong that had covered her legs for most of the evening. All of the evening except for their kiss.
    He held his breath as the material slid to the ground revealing legs that seemed to go on forever right until they ran into the traditional white bikini bottoms that looked a hell of a lot sexier than the thong Miss Bombshell wore.
    And when Cordelia jumped in the pool with a laugh at one of the guys, he decided he’d seen enough. And so, apparently, had Keith since he chose just that moment to tap him on the shoulder.
    “Hey, Sterling, you’re burning the burgers again.”
    Joe handed the spatula to his friend before turning to the pool. “I’m going to take a breather, you got it covered?”
    Joe wasn’t sure what Keith answered and to be perfectly honest, he didn’t care. Because just before she’d jumped in the pool, Cordelia’d sent him a searing look and crooked her index finger in a come hither move worthy of Cleopatra.
    He was just a man, dammit. A mere mortal. She’d beckoned and now, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure neither of them cared about charcoaled burgers. And he had the perfect move in mind. Oh yeah.
    With that thought, he shrugged off his shirt and making eye contact with the raven-haired vixen, he jumped.

    Cordelia watched as Joe moved closer and wondered if she should continue treading water or head in the other direction.  
    She’d tried calling out to him to ask how much longer until time to eat, but he hadn’t heard. She’d never expected him to jump in the pool for crying out loud.  
    Or maybe that’s exactly what she’d expected. Because the closer he swam, the harder her heart pounded, the warmer the water seemed, the smaller the universe felt. The less she cared about food.
    Lord, the man left her breathless. Just watching his arm muscles flex as he moved almost silently through the water left her hot and bothered and more than a little excited.
    When he finally moved next to her and smiled, Cordelia felt the world stop. In her life she’d heard hundreds of stories about time standing still and she’d laughed.
    But the power of Joe Sterling’s sexy smile, his blond hair darkened by water, combined with