When Sparks Fly Read Online Free PDF

between them. The room had practically sizzled with it. So why had he been so quick to leave? Oh yes, that’s right, his date with Lauren.
    Giving the counter one last wipe with the dishtowel, she hung it over the faucet to dry. Her mother had always done it that way and Monica had implemented the habit in college. Turning out the light, she walked down the hall to the guest bedroom, taking care to not disturb Fran and Bill, who had retired for the evening, having already said their ‘goodnights’.
    After helping Kimber brush her teeth and comb her hair, they snuggled beneath the covers to read a story. It had been a long day, and halfway through Pooh’s latest adventure, the little girl conked out. Monica slipped out of bed and tucked the covers up around her daughter, stroking her cheek and brushing a kiss across her forehead. Picking up her toiletries bag, she crept softly into the adjoining bathroom to perform her own bedtime preparations.
    She studied her face in the mirror, trying to see herself through Joe’s eyes. Though still a few years away from forty, tiny wrinkles had settled around the corners of her eyes but her skin was clear, a fact she attributed to her nighttime ritual of scrubbing with facial cleanser followed by a moisturizing cream. A smattering of freckles graced the bridge of her nose, the only physical attribute she’d inherited from her father.
    Thick and silky soft, her hair was still a rich, chestnut brown and she passed the occasional strands of gray off as highlights. Due to her non-stop work schedule, she had no need for the gym although she squeezed a Pilates class in whenever she could. As a result, her figure was the same as it had been in college, though the edges were not quite as pronounced and her curves were softer. Turning from the mirror, she picked up her toothbrush and began brushing her teeth.
    Why do I care what he thinks of me? She brushed vigorously, stopping every thirty seconds to spit. I only met him today, and it’s not like I’m staying here or anything . Brush, spit, brush, spit. So maybe there is some sort of attraction but he has a girlfriend. Lauren something-or-other . She rinsed her mouth out with tap water and wiped the sink clean. Capping her toothpaste, she put it back in her bag and placed it on the shelf above the sink, then turned off the bathroom light and walked into the bedroom.
    Sliding into bed next to Kimber, she lay there listening to the soft breaths coming from her sleeping daughter. It was enough, the two of them. They were a family and she didn’t need a man in her life. But when Joe had rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned in, she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t been hoping for a kiss.

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Chapter Three

    “What the hell is wrong with you, bro? You haven’t sunk a single ball all night,” Loren groused as he laid a stack of bills on the corner of the pool table. Deuce’s was jumping for a Wednesday night and he had to shout to make himself heard over the music coming from the jukebox.
    “He’s too busy thinking about a certain new lady in town,” Frankie grinned, picking up the money and making a show of counting it. Joe glared at him and took a swig of beer from his half empty bottle before laying his stick on the table.
    “There’s a new lady in town?” Loren asked, his interest piqued. “How come I’m just hearing about it now?”
    “Her car broke down just outside of town and Joe was her knight in shining armor.” The mechanic laughed as his friend sent another threatening look his way.
    “Is she hot?”
    “She’s not your type,” Joe informed him. “She has a daughter.”
    Loren held his hands up and took two steps back in a move similar to the one Frankie had made hours earlier. “I don’t do kids, man. Nothing worse than a chick with kids.”
    The three men relinquished the pool table to the next group of players and elbowed their way to the bar. After ordering another round, Joe asked, “So