Tempt Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

thinking of the future. He truly hadn’t thought about getting serious with anyone, but his nieces had him wanting kids. Nothing like two pretty little girls with dark hair and those Johnson blue eyes. He had never really experienced a yen for fatherhood until lately. 
    He shook himself out of his funk and got back to work. He had enough on his plate at the moment. Daydreaming about a family could come later.
    *  *  *  *
    Zoe wanted to scream. She couldn’t sculpt and could barely draw. While she was left handed, the brace she had to keep on her arm hindered her ability to create. And made her a raving bitch. 
    “Maybe we can come up with something.”
    She looked at Joey and shook her head. It was nice to know there was someone who at least understood what she was going through. Joey was an artist and one who taught. Other people just didn’t understand what she was going though. Not being able to create things made her feel as if she had lost one of her senses.  
    It was also giving her too much time to think about that Marine.
     “I don’t think so. They really want to keep my wrist stable and I don’t want to mess it up. If I do, it won’t heal right and they could have to do surgery. That is something I don’t think I can handle.”
    She nibbled on her lip as she looked over her options. It wouldn’t hurt to work in another medium. Sometimes she found taking a break from her preferred medium helped sharpen her skills. She glanced at the charcoal that Joey had suggested earlier and reached for it.
    “I think I’ll go out back.”
    Joey nodded. “Let me know if there is anything I can help with.”
    She left, her mind already on ideas for work. Hopefully, it would help her from obsession about Jesse. 
    *  *  *  *
    Joey watched Zoe as she sat on their swing in the backyard.
    “Your worries are starting to make my head hurt.”
    She sighed and leaned back against Stewart. Her husband always seemed to know what she was thinking before she said anything.
    “Sorry. She’s just so unhappy.”
    He started to massage her shoulders. “I know, but you have to let her be. She’s been through a bad experience. And admit it, she’s better than she was a few weeks ago.” 
    They said nothing as they both watched her through the kitchen window.
    “I thought Jesse would call.”
    Stewart chuckled. “Of course you did.”
    “I just thought it would do her good to be…” she shrugged.
    “Baby, you need to let things be. Not everyone is looking to be matched up. And, I have a feeling those two would drive each other crazy. She has no sense of time or structure. You know how those dippy artists are.”
    She didn’t take offense because he said it in admiration. Turning around, she slipped her arms over his shoulders. “Well, he could be a little more flexible. Marines do have hard heads.”
    He chuckled again and her heart warmed. To this day, all he had to do was smile and she melted. 
     “You know I take that as a compliment.” He dipped his head and brushed his mouth over hers. Before he could take it too far, the doorbell rang. With a sigh, he pulled back. “And, I have a feeling I know who that is.” 
    “What do you mean by that?” she asked as he started down the hall to the front door.
    “You just need to let things go and work their own course.”
    She frowned. “Stewart Santini.”
    He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Just trust me. I saw that boy the other night and I knew he’d be back.”
    With that he went to the front door and opened it to reveal Jesse standing on their porch.
    “Hey, Papa. I was out this way for a drive and thought I would stop in for a visit.”

Chapter Five
     
    Jesse didn’t know what had compelled him to drive to the Santinis. Scratch that, he knew what—or rather who—but he didn’t know why. He hadn’t called her when he had thought about it, and he’d done his best to ignore the little voice in the back of his head that told him he should. Now