Playing With Fire Read Online Free PDF Page B

begged her to come out for a drink, claiming she needed to talk. Taryn had sat there for over an hour waiting for the woman when she’d finally gotten a text message that she’d been stood up, Roberta needing to get home to her husband and baby.
    And there she’d been, stranded at the Playground by herself, and so Taryn had stayed, enjoying the music and most of the attention that had been lavished on her. Now she was second-guessing her decision. She hated to admit it, but she’d secretly gotten caught up in Roberta’s enthusiasm and was curious to know more about the owner of the Playground. However the owner hadn’t been the least bit curious about her.
    She made one last check of her front door, insuring the alarm was engaged. Moving through her North Hills home, she stripped out of her clothes as she made her way up the stairs to the second floor.
    For the first time she found the home’s quiet almost unnerving. The hum of the refrigerator, the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway, and the creaking of the floorboards beneath her feet were the only sounds echoing through the space. She didn’t own a pet, having neither the time nor the inclination to be bothered, but she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe coming home to a cat or a small dog might feel less lonely.
    Taryn heaved a deep sigh, appalled that such a thought had gone through her mind. She wasn’t lonely. Not really. In fact, she’d always been quite content with her life. She loved her job. As the president of sales and marketing for a national design chain, Taryn spent a fair amount of time traveling around the world, searching out product to boost her company’s bottom line. The intensity of her schedule and the pressures of her responsibilities had never been conducive to a long-term relationship with any man and so she had never really given one any consideration. She had never needed a man in her life and had yet to meet one she wanted for longer than a quick moment.
    Thoughts of Romeo Marshall suddenly flashed through her head. Something about that man intrigued her and she hated to admit that she was curious to know exactly what that was. She hadn’t given him much thought that first night when he hadn’t bothered to make his way to where she and her friends had been sitting, and although Roberta had been dismissive, continuing to extoll his many virtues, Taryn hadn’t been convinced. Tonight she’d been disappointed; he had not made the small effort to stop by her table to ask if she was having a good time.
    Taryn shook her head, frustrated that she even cared. She already knew that Romeo Marshall, with his less than stellar reputation, wasn’t the kind of man she wanted to invest any energy in. Besides, the prospect of being with a man who had once sexed her friend felt all sorts of wrong, despite Roberta’s assurances that Taryn was being way too sensitive about the whole thing. “I’m not kidding,” the woman had extolled, “even if it doesn’t turn into anything permanent, you’ll still thank me. That man is God-sent!”
    Taryn blew another deep breath as she rinsed her mouth and swiped a warm bath cloth over her face and eyes. Easing into her bedroom, she drew back the covers and slipped beneath them. God-sent . She should only be so lucky, she thought as she reached for the television remote and began to surf the stations.
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    The tinkling of breaking glass and the loud curses of a gin-splattered patron caught Romeo’s attention. Excusing himself from a conversation, he rose from his seat, sauntering over to his customer’s side just as the onslaught of tears rose to his waitress’s eyes.
    â€œSharon, please bring Mr. Jenkins’s table a round of drinks on the house,” he said quietly, gently squeezing her shoulder.
    â€œYes, sir, Mr. Marshall, sir,” the young woman responded, gratefully fleeing the