The Game Has Changed Read Online Free PDF

I intend to stay
faithful to only you.”
    “You probably don't even know what being
faithful to one woman means,” she challenged him
angrily.
    Evan stared at her with such curiosity that it
frightened her. She knew she shouldn't have been so audacious with
him, but she knew she couldn't trust him and had no idea as to what
his ultimate intentions concerning her really were. Truth be told,
she just couldn't help herself.
    “Don't presume anything about me, okay?” he finally replied. He
was stern with her, but it was obvious that he was trying very hard
not to lose his temper with her again. “You don't know anything
about me.”
    “And it's gonna stay that way,” she added
tersely.
    “Don't patronize me, either. Both could get you
in trouble.”
    “How is that patronizing you?” she cried
softly. “It's pure fact that I don't want to know anything about
you, nothing more.”
    They grew quiet, moving into their respective
corners when the waitress appeared again with their drinks. She
looked curiously at the two of them, quite aware that they were
having a spat, but said nothing to that effect. “Your food will be
here soon,” was the only thing she dared say.
    Evan winked at her in thanks. Jaime pouted and
avoided his intense scrutiny.
    After a long icy silence between them, Evan
asked softly, “Someone's no doubt looking for you now,
right?”
    “Of course,” she answered rigidly.
    “Your parents?”
    “They're dead,” she mumbled.
    “I'm sorry.”
    “No, you're not.”
    “All right, believe what you want of me, but
you're not making this any easier for yourself.”
    “I have a choice?”
    The food was carried over to them by two
waitresses at that point. They had heard Jaime's last entreaty.
Neither said a word as the food was placed before them.
    Evan replied with a very soft, “Ta,” and a
small bow of his head as he acknowledged the women. Dreamy and
eager smiles crossed their lips as they stared back at
him.
    They ate in total silence for a very long time.
Occasionally, they made eye contact as an untrusting, confused, and
sorrowful silence further spread between them. Evan wanted her to
know why he was doing this, but he wasn't sure if she was capable
of understanding the why of it just yet. Deep down, he felt she
would be capable of it someday. He had that much faith in her,
after all.

C HAPTER
5
     
     
    Inside the tiny room they had rented for the
night, Jaime looked at the bed miserably as Evan set her backpack
and their bag of purchases on the small table. “There's only one
bed,” she said despondently.
    “That's what I was hoping for,” was his rather
cocky reply.
    She turned to him with immediate worry and
anger. “What!?”
    He couldn't help his insolent smile. “I need
you to sleep beside me so I'll know if you try to cut
loose.”
    “I promise you, I won't. We're in the middle of
nowhere. Where would I go?” she sobbed.
    “I don't trust you enough yet.”
    “Well, I don't trust you either!”
    “I'm not gonna rape you, Jaime,” he angrily
shot back at her. “I don't want to hear any more about
it!”
    Jaime took several deep breaths to keep herself
from hyperventilating. “I believe you. I do. I just don't want to
sleep with you and I mean that in the most innocent sense of the
word!”
    “I know what you mean, but you know what? You
don't have any choice in the matter, my Darlin’,” he replied,
losing his temper with her once again.
    She watched him take off his leather jacket and
angrily toss it across the back of a chair as it sat beside the
table. It also allowed her to see his gun and holster more clearly
for the first time. Her heart was in her throat, but she refused to
back down. “Why do you call me that?” she asked timidly.
    “Call you what?” he prodded with annoyance as
he unstrapped his holster and placed it upon the table.
    “Darling, Love, and all those endearments,” she
whispered.
    “Cuz I flirt with every woman, just like you
pointed out