Read Online Bucking the Rules by Kat Murray - Free Book Online

thing she could tolerate were fish. And that wasn’t really the way to handle loneliness. Five days after buying her companion, she’d have to flush him.
    She finished quickly and closed up shop, locking the door behind her. The stairs to her apartment were around the corner of the building, slightly hidden from the street. She liked the privacy, even though most would have thought she didn’t have any. The separate entrance was enough for her though, and she started to head in that direction, glad once again she had made installing outside lighting along the path to her stairs a main priority when she’d first bought the place.
    â€œHey.”
    She yelped and covered her mouth with her hand. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Turning, she saw Mr. Jeans and Boots himself leaning against a truck parked along the street. At first glance, it looked like the same truck from the parking lot, but in the dark she couldn’t tell dark blue from black or another deep color.
    â€œSorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
    â€œI wasn’t scared,” she lied.
    The twitch of his lips said he wasn’t buying the BS, but he let it slide. “Good. I didn’t know what time you would close up, since you don’t close the same time every night.”
    She hefted her large tote more securely over her shoulder. “If people are still paying, I’ll stay open.”
    â€œRight. Well, luckily I had a book in my truck.” He took one step forward, and then stopped.
    She waited, but he didn’t say anything. “Where’s Amanda?”
    â€œAmanda?” His brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would I know?”
    â€œYou picked her up like half an hour ago. I thought you two had a date.” She wanted to use air quotes around the word “date” but refrained.
    â€œNo,” he said slowly. “I didn’t, actually.”
    Jo blinked. “But I saw you. She met you in the parking lot.”
    â€œDid I wave and say hi?” He was starting to smile.
    â€œYou were wearing jeans and boots,” she said with a look down. Then she wished she hadn’t, since it drew her eyes to the long lines of his legs, the worn-out places in the denim reminding her what kind of hard work he did on a regular basis. She shivered a little and blinked to clear the images that wanted to start up again.
    â€œWell, hell. Every guy in the bar tonight was wearing jeans and boots. That hardly means it was me. Plus, I hate to sound like a jerk, but if it was Amanda I wanted, I’d be with her, not here with you.”
    â€œSo why are you here with me?”
    The teasing light died in his eyes, replaced by something Jo could easily recognize. Easy to relate to, because she’d felt it, too.
    Hunger. Desire. Deep need.
    â€œI think you know.” His voice was quiet, but it carried perfectly to her. “I thought things were going well, and then suddenly I got the cold shoulder. What’d I do wrong, and how do I take it back?”
    A man who could admit he was wrong, even if he wasn’t sure yet why. Interesting. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just thought you and Amanda . . .” Well. They weren’t, so there was no point in going in that direction.
    â€œYou thought Amanda and I were meeting tonight instead and didn’t want to poach.”
    â€œBasically.” It sounded stupid when he said it.
    He smiled and walked to her. “I can respect that. But just to cover the bases, I’m not with Amanda.”
    â€œI see that.”
    â€œI’m not with another woman. I’m with you, and it’s where I want to be. If you feel the same, then I’d say we were on to something good.”

Chapter Five
    S he waited until he was close enough to touch, then let her bag drop from her shoulder. Hot man in front of her, all but telling her he wanted her? No contest.
    He took those final steps forward and she reached up to grab his shirt.