Read Online Breaking the Rules by Jennifer Lewis - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Lewis
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right under it and hide down there. Make a long slow acquaintance with her thighs.
“If the root of the curse can be found, it can be removed.” Her eyes narrowed.
Joe’s attention drifted reluctantly back to their conversation. “How do you get to the bottom of it?”
“By doing a reading.”
“No thanks. Been there, done that.”
She reached a hand across the table. On impulse he dropped his fork and took it. She curled her fingers around his palm and pressed her cool fingertips lightly into his warm flesh.
“It’s okay, Joe.”
“I look that bad, huh?”
“I can see from your face that you have been badly hurt.”
“Yeah, well, that’s life.”
“The curse can be lifted.”
“I still don’t believe there is a curse.”
“I know, and that’s okay, too.” She squeezed his hand gently, dark eyes filled with compassion.
Joe clamped his teeth down on the inside of his mouth, trying to bite back the surge of emotion welling inside him. He hadn’t yet embarrassed himself by bawling in front of anyone, and he didn’t plan to start now.
He lifted his chin, trying to get his head up above dangerous waters. “You think you can see right through me, don’t you?”
“No. I can only see the surface, just like anyone else. But from my work I have much experience with people…who need help.”
“You think I need help?” He accompanied his words with a dismissive snort.
“Yes. You wouldn’t have come back to me if you didn’t.”
“I don’t even know why I came to you. But I can think of one thing you could help me with.”
“What’s that?”
She said it so sincerely, with such an expression of thoughtful concern, that he couldn’t bring himself to say the crude, sexually suggestive words he’d hoped to brush her off with.
“You could let go of my hand so I can finish my breakfast.”
She gave him a knowing smile as she withdrew her hand gently from his.
He picked up his fork and stuffed another heaping mouthful of bacon and eggs into his mouth. Narrow escape. He’d come way too close to losing it right there. He was walking a fine line between sanity and madness lately, and he wasn’t sure this chick was going to help him fall on the right side of the line if he crashed.
He glanced up at her and got an odd little stab in his gut when he saw she was looking at him, soft-eyed, her lips curved in a slight smile.
“What’re you smiling about?”
“Nothing.”
“I guess we can both play at that game, huh?”
She nodded, still smiling like the Mona Lisa, and he got on with eating his breakfast.
Susana got up and wandered off while Joe finished up the last of his eggs. He stretched as best he could in the cramped space. Damn he felt relaxed. And good. Whatever tricks she had up her sleeve, so far they were working.
But he had work to do today. He needed to find a place to live and start getting his business plan off the ground. And he had to deposit that check.
The thought of the check, still crumpled in the back pocket of yesterday’s jeans, stirred his muscles to life. He really shouldn’t leave that kind of money lying around.
He squeezed himself out from behind the table and carried his plate and glass to the sink. Common politeness told him to wash up, but suddenly he had a very strong desire to make sure his check was where he left it.
Not that he didn’t trust Susana or anything.
Anxiety pricked him as he strode into the hallway and shoved open the door to Grandma’s bedroom. Phew. Everything looked much as he’d left it. He snuck a glance at the doorway before picking his crumpled jeans off the floor and shoving his hand into the back pocket.
Empty.
Jesus.
He groped for the other pocket, heart firing. When his fingers closed around the crisp paper he let out an audible sigh of relief.
“Thought I robbed you?”
Susana’s cool voice from the doorway made him jump.
“No.”
“You think all gypsies are thieves?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes,
“If the root of the curse can be found, it can be removed.” Her eyes narrowed.
Joe’s attention drifted reluctantly back to their conversation. “How do you get to the bottom of it?”
“By doing a reading.”
“No thanks. Been there, done that.”
She reached a hand across the table. On impulse he dropped his fork and took it. She curled her fingers around his palm and pressed her cool fingertips lightly into his warm flesh.
“It’s okay, Joe.”
“I look that bad, huh?”
“I can see from your face that you have been badly hurt.”
“Yeah, well, that’s life.”
“The curse can be lifted.”
“I still don’t believe there is a curse.”
“I know, and that’s okay, too.” She squeezed his hand gently, dark eyes filled with compassion.
Joe clamped his teeth down on the inside of his mouth, trying to bite back the surge of emotion welling inside him. He hadn’t yet embarrassed himself by bawling in front of anyone, and he didn’t plan to start now.
He lifted his chin, trying to get his head up above dangerous waters. “You think you can see right through me, don’t you?”
“No. I can only see the surface, just like anyone else. But from my work I have much experience with people…who need help.”
“You think I need help?” He accompanied his words with a dismissive snort.
“Yes. You wouldn’t have come back to me if you didn’t.”
“I don’t even know why I came to you. But I can think of one thing you could help me with.”
“What’s that?”
She said it so sincerely, with such an expression of thoughtful concern, that he couldn’t bring himself to say the crude, sexually suggestive words he’d hoped to brush her off with.
“You could let go of my hand so I can finish my breakfast.”
She gave him a knowing smile as she withdrew her hand gently from his.
He picked up his fork and stuffed another heaping mouthful of bacon and eggs into his mouth. Narrow escape. He’d come way too close to losing it right there. He was walking a fine line between sanity and madness lately, and he wasn’t sure this chick was going to help him fall on the right side of the line if he crashed.
He glanced up at her and got an odd little stab in his gut when he saw she was looking at him, soft-eyed, her lips curved in a slight smile.
“What’re you smiling about?”
“Nothing.”
“I guess we can both play at that game, huh?”
She nodded, still smiling like the Mona Lisa, and he got on with eating his breakfast.
Susana got up and wandered off while Joe finished up the last of his eggs. He stretched as best he could in the cramped space. Damn he felt relaxed. And good. Whatever tricks she had up her sleeve, so far they were working.
But he had work to do today. He needed to find a place to live and start getting his business plan off the ground. And he had to deposit that check.
The thought of the check, still crumpled in the back pocket of yesterday’s jeans, stirred his muscles to life. He really shouldn’t leave that kind of money lying around.
He squeezed himself out from behind the table and carried his plate and glass to the sink. Common politeness told him to wash up, but suddenly he had a very strong desire to make sure his check was where he left it.
Not that he didn’t trust Susana or anything.
Anxiety pricked him as he strode into the hallway and shoved open the door to Grandma’s bedroom. Phew. Everything looked much as he’d left it. He snuck a glance at the doorway before picking his crumpled jeans off the floor and shoving his hand into the back pocket.
Empty.
Jesus.
He groped for the other pocket, heart firing. When his fingers closed around the crisp paper he let out an audible sigh of relief.
“Thought I robbed you?”
Susana’s cool voice from the doorway made him jump.
“No.”
“You think all gypsies are thieves?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes,
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