Simon: Rockstar Romance (The ProVokaTiv Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

you what your passions are,” Jessie said.
    My face must have looked like I just swallowed sour milk. There was no way she was serious. “Really?” I cautiously asked.
    “No, just kidding,” she beamed at me. “See, I can joke around, too. Although, I admit that it would be hysterical to watch you with a psychic. If your face was anything like it just was, it’d be classic. I could probably get a million views on YouTube in a day.”
    “Oh, I see where this is going. Watch out, I just may surprise you. Business men are craftier than most, you know.”
    We were still laughing when the waitress startled us. “Can I offer you an after dinner drink or a dessert?” she asked.
    “Do you want dessert?” I asked Jessie.
    “Oh no, I’m full, thanks though,” she said.
    I looked at the waitress. “We’re good.”
    “Okay, I’ll bring your bill so you two can get on with your date,” she said.
    “Oh, we’re not on a date.  This is business,” I said.
    When I turned back to Jessie I caught her giving me the strangest look, a bit startled and a bit hurt, maybe. She realized I saw it, though, and quickly recovered.
    “You okay?” I asked.
    “Yes, fine. I just got distracted thinking about some adjustments I have to make on a paper for a class.”
    “Oh, did you need to get going?” I asked. I was disappointed by it, but I understood.
    “That’s probably a good idea. Plus, I need to give you time to think about the plan, right, assess your risk and all that.” Her voice trailed off.
    “Okay then,” I said.
    We strolled back to the hotel and I walked Jessie to her car, which was parked on the street about a block past the hotel. Everything was quieter and reserved, the relaxed mood gone and slight tension in the air.
    This had been a great night, I’d thought. Now I was wondering if Jessie had taken it the wrong way. It was just business, after all. It just happened to be fun business—the best time I’d had out to dinner with a woman in years.
    “Well, I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” I said.
    “Sure, great,” she said. “Thanks so much for helping me with this. Even if you don’t end up agreeing to do it—I really appreciate all the time you’ve taken.” She leaned in and gave me a hug then, as our fingers brushed I felt a burst of energy flow between us and I didn’t want to let her go. Her body relaxed in my arms and I reluctantly pulled away. Our eyes met and I saw intensity in hers that seemed to match what I was feeling on the inside.
    I took a step back and she stepped off the curb to get into her small silver Volkswagen Jetta. She didn’t even look at me once as she started it up and pulled out slowly into the thick traffic of the tight, busy road. I just stood there, watching until her taillights blended in with the other traffic in the night. Who was Jessie Martineau?
     

Chapter Seven:
Grasping for Reality
     
    Why is it that every traffic light has to take forever when you just want to get home? I was distracted, trying to drive without plowing over any pedestrians—the ones that always thought they owned the crosswalk regardless of what the signal said—and processing my dinner with Simon.
    The conversation and the meal had been great, helping me feel good about this big concept joint venture really coming together. Still, it really bugged me that Simon saw it as all business. Didn’t his heart even break a bit when he thought of all the people suffering from Ebola? And even if it didn’t, his common sense should tell him that it would really suck if it made its way to the US in full force. I shook my head, some people just didn’t get it until they were directly impacted by something. Apparently, Simon was one of those people.
    Honk. Honk. Honk. I glanced in my rearview mirror and there was just enough light for me to see the animated hand gestures of someone behind me trying to encourage me to get moving. I took off, shifting gears in my car, and made my way home, eager