No Breaking My Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

man took their loss personally, even though they’d been a team. She’d picked him off the street. Chosen him for his size with no idea as to his abilities. She was disheartened, but not ashamed of their performance. They’d done their best. She couldn’t ask for anything more.
    Another time, another place, she’d turn her luck around.
    â€œIt was a game show.” She spoke softly. “There were no guarantees.”
    He tugged off his rooster hood. His dark hair was mussed, spiked on one side, and he had a red mark over his nose were the beak had rubbed. His gaze was sharp. Hard. Intense. Ticked. “I came up short on Strongman. We should’ve won.”
    But they had not. She released him from all blame. “Your costume was tight and hindered your movements. We would’ve won had you been dressed as Tarzan or Adam.”
    â€œThe Garden of Eden?” Had him thinking. “A leaf at the groin would’ve given me more freedom.”
    A very large leaf, she thought. The size of an elephant ear.
    He rolled his shoulders, and his voice was tight in his throat when he said, “I’m not used to losing.”
    She wasn’t used to winning.
    He turned then, and pushed through the locker room door. “Give me five. I’ll drive you back to your car,” he tossed over his shoulder.
    Halo Todd crossed to his locker, slammed the flat of his hand against the metal grate. Felt the sting from his wrist to his shoulder. He was not a good loser. He’d been crazy to participate in the first place. Yet there was something about Alyn that got to him. She’d appeared so forlorn on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop. A woman defeated before she’d even gotten to compete.
    He rubbed the back of his neck, and rewound their time onstage. The chicken had done her part. She’d worked her way through the maze like a pro. He’d been proud of her. So pleased, in fact, that when goaded by the crowd, he’d kissed her. Her mouth was soft. Her taste, sweet innocence. Surprise had parted her lips, and his tongue had glanced off hers. He would’ve deepened the kiss had Alex Xander not broken them apart.
    That single kiss had distracted him during Balloon Darts. The warmth of her mouth lingered. He’d missed easy shots. He’d hoped to redeem himself with the Strength-O-Meter. He worked out. Twice a day. He was he-man strong.
    His costume was as snug as a second skin, but that hadn’t hampered him. The seams gave way when he’d raised the mallet. He’d flashed his ass with the downward motion. He knew a second too late that his swing was off center. There’d been no time to make a correction. No do-over. He felt bad for Alyn. She’d had faith in him, and he’d failed her.
    There was something about her light green eyes, optimistic attitude, and trail of feathers that got to him. He didn’t like being gotten. It left him on edge.
    The woman had guts, he had to admit. Approaching a stranger on the sidewalk to find a game-show partner. He wondered what she wanted out of life. What she would have done with the grand prizes, had they won. He might never know.
    He took the small key from his side pocket, opened the locker. Then shook out his shirt and jeans. The rooster costume had seen better days. A shrug of his shoulders, and it fell off him. He kicked the costume aside.
    He got dressed. Finger-combed his hair. He was as good as he was going to get. Scooping up the torn costume, he headed for the door. He would pay Alyn the rental and replacement cost. He was bigger than most roosters. He wouldn’t stick her with the bill.
    He found her in the hallway, leaning against the wall. Her chin dipped, and her shoulders slumped. She had yet to remove her costume, so he had no idea what she looked like.
    Anonymity was sexy, he found.
    She glanced up, and gave him a small smile. “You look more yourself now.”
    â€œI wasn’t cut