Poison Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

smiled. “Good thing you’re so strong or you’d have to get a different car.”
    “You weigh nothing.”
    They followed Ellie’s silver Cadillac to The Pizza Villa. “This is her idea of a fancy restaurant?” Jake asked as they exited the vehicle.
    Ruby smiled. “There aren’t a lot of options in Preston.”
    Jake focused on the beautiful woman Ellie leaned on. She walked up the concrete steps and entered the old redbrick house that had been converted into Preston’s most successful pizza parlor. Jake glimpsed her trim legs from the short split in the back of her skirt. He wished the split rose higher.
    Ellie glanced back and caught him looking. She released Chanel’s arm and slithered to his side. “Girl covers up far too much,” she said loudly enough for the cars driving past to hear.
    Chanel’s head swiveled. She caught Jake’s stare and quickly turned back around.
    He shook his head. “Didn’t notice.”
    Ellie chortled. “Yeah, right. About time I caught you checking out a woman.” She winked. “Starting to wonder if you were going to bat for the all boys’ team.”
    Jake rolled his eyes, then opened the door for the ladies and ushered them into the restaurant. Not being interested in women had never been his problem. No, it was his inability to forget what he’d done to Angela that prevented him from pursuing anything besides flirtations and an occasional first date.
     
    ***
        
    Chanel swirled the lemon slice in her Diet Coke as the conversation flowed around her. She smiled and nodded at the appropriate times, but being this close to Jake Merrill made her speechless. She’d seen him several times at the Palace this past week, wearing a dress shirt, tie, and slacks. Clearly, he wasn’t comfortable in the attire—his tie was always loose and his shirt rumpled—but with his athletic frame he looked good in it. Chanel liked his dark hair and skin and the way his gaze seemed to linger on her.
    He leaned across the vinyl tablecloth. “Chanel?”
    She jumped. “Oh, sorry. Were you talking to me?”
    Jake winked. “I was trying.”
    “Sorry.” Her throat suddenly parched, Chanel took a sip of her soda. “What did you ask me?”
    “Where did you move from?”
    Four pairs of eyes zeroed in on her as everyone awaited her reply. She rubbed at her birthmark and murmured, “Las Vegas.”
    Jake arched an eyebrow. “Really? What pulled you from party central to tiny-town Idaho?”
    She smiled. “A job.”
    “There aren’t jobs in Vegas?”
    Chanel looked at Ruby, Ellie, and Marissa. She cared for them, but they didn’t need to feel sorry for her. “Nothing as fun as being around these gals.”
    Ellie rolled her eyes.
    “Did she just call us gals?” Marissa asked.
    “Wish I could say you’d misunderstood.” Ellie poked at an ice cube with her straw.
    Warmth crept up Chanel’s cheeks.
    Ruby smiled softly. “Thank you, dear. We’re very glad to have you.”
    “Whoa, whoa.” Jake held up a hand. “Don’t let her skirt the question with a comment like that, Grandma.”
    Ellie chuckled, while Chanel stiffened. Ruby turned to glare at her grandson. “Where did I go wrong?”
    “What?” He was the picture of innocence—a very fine-looking picture.
    “I taught you manners. Now you put them to use, young man.”
    Jake smiled at Ruby, then focused the force of that smile on Chanel. At that moment she would’ve told him anything he wanted—anything but the reasons she’d fled Vegas.
    “I’m sorry, Chanel. I guess I can’t tease around Grandma Ruby. When you’re ready to let me in on your secrets, I’ll be here.”
    Marissa leaned into Ellie. “Did he say they’re going to have a secret tryst in the chair?”
    Ellie grinned. “I hope so. Do we get to watch?”
    Ruby snapped her fingers at Ellie. “Stop.”
    Chanel felt blood rush to her face. She rubbed at her birthmark. Jake winked.
    Mercifully, the salads arrived and Ruby changed the subject. “How are we going to