The Drafter Read Online Free PDF Page B

checked his messages.
    â€œTen in the corner, off the bank,” she whispered, feeling better already. The thump of the cue against the ball pulled her upright, and she stood as the ball dropped in. She missed her next shot, but their wine had shown up, and she decided to order dessert when Jack wasn’t looking. He wasn’t going to win, even if it required cheating.
    â€œYour go,” she said as she came back to the table and touched his face just to feel the faint stubble. I love seeing him this relaxed , she thought, wishing she could remember more nights like this. “I sank two.”
    â€œYou’re off your game,” he said as he took his cue. “Looks like it’s apple pie tonight.”
    â€œDoubt it,” she said, sighing as he moved forward to study the table. From below, the music shifted to something slower, the lights lowering to spin at the floor in lazy circles. Jack settled on his shot, and she scrolled through the menu, ordering chocolate cake as she waited for the exact . . . moment . . . to distract him.
    â€œHow’s Bill?” she asked suddenly, and Jack jumped, miscuing. The cue ball spun in an awkward spiral to hit nothing, and he frowned,knowing she’d done it on purpose. “I’ve seen you check your messages twice now,” she added as he straightened.
    â€œAs antsy as always,” he said. “I know this is our time, but I was tired of avoiding his texts. They found the body already, and he wanted to make sure we’re okay.”
    Peri grimaced. Sloppy. Leaving bodies was sloppy. “You told him I drafted?” she asked, not yet ready to think about the additional debriefing that a draft engendered.
    Jack wouldn’t look at her, and she disliked the unusual avoidance. “He wants us to check in when we hit Detroit,” he said. “No rush, but no . . . what did he say . . . lollygagging?”
    Peri rolled her eyes, imagining the heavy, somewhat prissy man saying just that. Blowing the dust from the tip, she smiled, forgiving him for bringing up work. The lights had risen again, playing on the ceiling of the open floor below the loft. “You didn’t leave me much,” she said as she sashayed forward. “I think you missed on purpose.”
    â€œI like watching you shoot,” he said as he stood behind her to look over the layout.
    â€œYou just like seeing my ass in the air,” she quipped back.
    He grinned, tucking her short hair behind an ear. “It’s a very nice ass, Peri.”
    Laughing, she shied away from him. “Maybe if I bank it off there . . . ,” she said, losing herself in the math. Stretching over the table, she tested the angle. It would be tight.
    â€œYou’re a little off,” Jack said, and she felt him lean in, hanging over her to see her shot setup. “I think you need to angle it more. This might be a little hard for you,” he said, pressing into her.
    â€œIt’s not how hard it is that worries me.” She liked his nearness, the way she could feel his warmth against her. “It’s how long it is.”
    â€œMmmm.” He grinned, inches away.
    â€œIs this better?” she said, not looking away from him.
    He licked his lips. “Better. Nice and smooth now, and I think it will go right . . . in.”
    He was far too close for an easy play, but he was trying to make hermiss, among other things, and she focused on the shot, exhaling when she tapped it and knowing before it moved a foot that it hadn’t been enough.
    â€œWell, darn,” she complained as she pushed herself up. “Your go,” she said, returning to their table and levering herself up on the stool. Her cake had arrived. She couldn’t help but wonder how she’d found this place. Maybe Bill suggested it. He knew their after-task tradition of pool and dessert.
    Her smile faded at the reminder of