Taming the VIP Playboy Read Online Free PDF Page B

Did I tell you that I’m a single guy again?”
    Nate shook his head. “I heard it through the grapevine.”
    â€œEveryone has,” T.J. said.
    â€œI think I see a table in the back that will be nice. Why don’t you two go grab it and I’ll get us some drinks,” Jen said.
    â€œNot a problem, Jen. As soon as we sit down, Steve will send my usual drink order over,” Nate said.
    â€œI don’t think he’ll know what I want, so I will tell him and then join you both,” she said.
    â€œThanks,” Nate said, leading T.J. through the crowds to the table that Jen had spotted. T.J. was rambling a little about being single again.
    â€œI hate it, man. I’m not like you. I don’t like the party life. I want to go home with the same woman every night. Have a nice little house in the suburbs, ya know?”
    Nate patted him on the shoulder. “I do know. It will work out when you find the right girl.”
    â€œThe right girl? I doubt there is one out there. We don’t meet nice girls, ya know?”
    Nate started to agree but then glanced up to see Jen walking toward them. He thought that they did meet nice girls in their lives but they never knew how to treat them. And he was torn for the first time in recent memory. He wanted to be more of a gentleman for Jen than he normally was but he had the feeling that it was too late for that. He scarcely remembered how to be a gentleman.
    â€œI don’t think guys like you and me know what to do with a nice girl.”
    â€œCould be,” T.J. said as he looked at Jen. “Did you tell the bartender to bring me another rum and Coke?”
    â€œNo, sorry. I told him Coke straight up.”
    â€œI need the rum, Jen. I think I could samba better with rum.”
    â€œI don’t know about that. And I was teaching you the salsa.”
    â€œDamn. I guess I’m not impressing you,” T.J. said.
    â€œYou already have when I watch you play,” she said.
    â€œI am a hot third-base player.”
    â€œYou are a stud on the baseball diamond,” Nate agreed.
    â€œI am. I think I’m going to head over to the bar and see if I can get them to add a little rum to this Coke,” he said. “Not that I don’t appreciate the thought, Jen.”
    â€œNo problem,” she said.
    T.J. got up and left the table. Nate watched his friend go and hoped that he’d find some kind of peace in the alcohol.
    â€œThanks for giving us a minute,” Nate said.
    â€œIt’s okay. I have friends, too. I know how it is when you need some privacy with them,” she said.
    â€œSit down,” he said, gesturing to the seat next to him.
    â€œI was thinking I should head out,” she said.
    â€œWhy? What changed your mind?”
    She sat down in the chair next to him perching on the edge of the seat. “This isn’t my scene.”
    â€œWhy not? It’s not different than being downstairs with your sister,” Nate said.
    â€œMaybe not to you, but this isn’t my crowd of people. There are celebs everywhere and people are taking photos with them and I think there are only two groups here.”
    â€œWhat are they?”
    â€œThose who belong and those who are hanging on. And I don’t want to be that,” Jen said.
    She reached over and took his hand in hers and he noticed how delicate her fingers looked with those long pink nails of hers. “I like you, Nate, but this is your world, and being here for just a short time has shown me that I don’t belong in it.”
    â€œYou could if I invited you in.”
    â€œI could,” she said. “But for how long?”

Four
    N ate shrugged. “Life can be pretty crazy.”
    â€œI know it can,” she said.
    â€œSit down, Jen. Tell me what brought you here.”
    She swallowed hard enough for him to see and shook her head. “That’s not a good topic of conversation.”
    â€œWhy