Shades of Temptation Read Online Free PDF Page B

“What?”
    DeMarco grinned. “You were checking out Ward.”
    Rolling his eyes, Jase leaned farther back in his seat,
automatically smiling when the brunette at the nearby table caught his eye
again. “I wasn’t checking her out. The last woman I’d be interested in is a
whack job like Ward.” Even as he spoke, he felt a twinge of guilt. Not for being
dishonest but for being disloyal. He was attracted to Carrie and fighting it,
but first and foremost he admired her. She wasn’t a whack job so much as the one
woman who was completely wrong for him but still managed to drive him crazy with
lust. Somehow, it seemed wrong to disparage her just to disguise his own
vulnerability, but he didn’t have much choice, did he? Not with the sudden gleam
in DeMarco’s eyes that told Jase he wasn’t going to let the matter drop.
    “Come on. Fess up. You can’t take your eyes off her, and with
good cause. Ward is smoking hot.”
    Because Jase wanted so badly to agree, he forced himself to
continue the charade with a bit more force than necessary. “She’s a lunatic. An
adrenaline junkie proud of her man-eater reputation.” At least that last part
was true. Carrie was tough and rarely showed fear. Not even to the team.
    Probably, if he was honest with himself, the team would be the
last people she’d let see her afraid. It was true for him. Why not for her,
too?
    “Yeah,” DeMarco continued, completely unaware of Jase’s
thoughts. “But she’s still muy caliente. If it
wouldn’t be like kissing my sister, she could eat me up anytime.”
    Another image of long limbs, smooth skin and moist, pink
secrets flashed before his eyes. He tried superimposing the nearby brunette’s
exotic features over Carrie’s face, but it didn’t work. “Different strokes, my
man,” he managed to drawl.
    “You’re protesting way too much. Why don’t you just admit you
want her?”
    “Uh—because I don’t.” Lie. Such a big lie. “She’s got a fine
ass, but everything that goes with it is way too much trouble. Besides, I’m
dating that model I met at the grocery store.”
    “You mean the blonde with big tits?” DeMarco tsked. “She’s
practically jailbait, man.”
    “Twenty-four is hardly jailbait,” Jase said with a frown.
Although it did sound a little young. “And talk about hot. The last thing I have
time or energy for is Carrie Ward.”
    DeMarco stared at him for several long minutes but, even though
her features were a blur, Jase didn’t take his eyes from the brunette who now
walked toward him.
    “Well, shit. That’s no fun.”
    Jase forced himself to grin. “I beg to differ. Lori used to be
a gymnast, you know.”
    DeMarco snorted and shook his head. “For you, that’s par for
the course.”
    Jase stood when the brunette finally reached them. “Hi. I was
hoping you were coming to see me and not my friend here.”
    She laughed, the sound low and just as sexy as her tousled
curls and low-cut blouse. “Maybe I haven’t made up my mind yet.” Her gaze
flickered to DeMarco. “You both look like you can show a girl a good time.”
    Despite his sudden weariness, Jase forced himself to play his
part. He leaned toward the brunette. “Thanks so much, darlin’. But you need to
know…”
    Jase spoke with the brunette for several minutes. Before she
left, she handed him her business card and gave DeMarco a flirty wave
goodbye.
    DeMarco just shook his head. “ Chica doesn’t know what she’s missing out on,” he grumbled good-naturedly, his massive
ego obviously not in the least bit threatened.
    Jase pocketed Kelly The Brunette’s number just as Carrie turned
and looked at him. She’d been chatting with Mac and Natalie, and had finally put
down her damn files. She smiled tightly at Jase before turning back to the
bartender, a tall, good-looking kid with dimples. Jase couldn’t resist. “So have
you heard when Carrie’s starting work?” he asked DeMarco. “I thought she wasn’t
coming back for another few