Shifting Gears Read Online Free PDF Page A

her.
    “I would never have used you like that.” Horror churned her stomach.
    “Yeah, well, sorry you didn’t get your fill.” He strode from the room. “I can send one of the other crew members over if you’re still horny. I’m sure any of them would like to take your Challenge . Maybe you could screw a few at once, really show the rest of your friends up?”
    Before she could object, he’d slammed the door hard enough to knock the package of pastries onto the floor. Shattered.
    Tears streamed from her eyes in stunned silence. How had things gone from sugar to shit so fast? She should have known better. Relationships always ended this way. Even the one-night-stand variety.
    She wouldn’t forget it again.
    And judging by the arguing echoing down the hall, from the direction of Lynn and Sebastian’s apartment, she thought she might have ruined some friendships in her disastrous attempt at a no-strings affair.
    Sloan couldn’t bear to listen to the fallout. She headed for her shower to drown the noise and attempt to cleanse herself of the disgust making her feel dirty. Dirtier than the night she’d discovered the bed she’d slept in for years had hosted dozens of other women while she was out of town.
    This time she’d been the villain at fault.

Chapter Three
     
    Sloan ignored yet another notification of a post on the Tempt the Cougar blog. She’d tried to unsubscribe from the damn feed but it seemed like the administrator wasn’t responding or her computer had joined the plot to make her life miserable.
    She’d spent the day moping in bed watching Chinese television—with no subtitles. What she wouldn’t give for Netflix and a queue full of romantic comedies right now.
    After avoiding the Cougar site all afternoon, she surrendered. Otherwise, she’d have no choice but to keep her dinner appointment with Lynn, who refused to confirm her cancellation text messages. Damn it.
    She skimmed past Lynn’s lengthy apology and the rest of the Cougars checking in to see if both of them had survived the day intact. If she read their reassurances or encouragement she’d start to cry again, and she’d sworn she’d done enough of that to last a lifetime.
    Still, the most recent message caught her eye.
     
    Lynn: Sloan, this is all my fault. I should have been more clear with Mark. I have to interview a local travel agent this afternoon but I’ll be waiting for you tonight as planned. Please come. Let me make it up to you. I have a brand-new Desiree Holt novel set aside for you. It’s autographed.
     
    Well, shit. Now she had to go. Because it wasn’t fair to make Lynn shoulder the entire burden of this fiasco. The woman had tried to help her out, fix her up. It wasn’t Lynn’s fault Sloan had the inverse Midas touch. A constant black cloud hovered over her head and her love life.
    Plus, she adored Desiree Holt.
    At least she’d have something to read during the long, lonely nights ahead. Funny, she hadn’t recognized the suffocating silence in the room, and her life, until Mark had filled it with his laughter and desire. Even for a moment. Like a flash of lightning, his companionship had illuminated all the flaws in her current existence then disappeared, leaving her in the dark once more.
    Crap.
    * * * * *
    Sloan tapped her nails on the table in an incessant tattoo that did nothing to soothe her nerves. A waiter approached but she didn’t have the energy to butcher what little Cantonese she’d been able to absorb. Instead, she pointed to the wine list at the bottom of the laminated menu then held up two fingers. It would take more than one glass of white zin to settle her nerves.
    Luckily “Thank you” was pretty universal.
    She’d already drained both and most of a third on an empty stomach when a pair of platform heels she’d kill for entered her field of vision as she studied the ground. The intricate pattern on the carpet started to make her dizzy.
    When two more pairs of shoes joined the sexy