Read Online Hope Breaks: A New Adult Romantic Comedy by Alice Bello, Stephanie T. Lott - Free Book Online

it seemed like weeks ago, but was really only a handful of hours ago.  I was just being crazy to think this was a good idea… but it was what I wanted.  Every molecule in my body wanted it.
    Except that wasn’t me. 
    I didn’t do things like that… like this. 
    And why?  Because I knew better.  Time and experience had taught me some hard, brutal lessons, and not one of them had ended well. 
    Life was hard, and you couldn’t really trust anyone—especially not a man.
    The scar on my hand itched and burned.  I took a deep breath and tamped down the small firebomb that had erupted in my core.  I needed to get the man out of my house; that was the only sane thing I could do. 
    I took another savage bite of my pizza, but it was nearly tasteless now.  Those molecules that were on fire moments ago were now tight and cold, shivering in the looming memories of things gone terribly wrong.
    I refused to look at them.  They were the past, and needed to stay that way.  But I would be fool not to remember the lessons they had taught.
    In my peripheral vision I saw Jake shake his head and take a bite of his own pizza.  He’d watched me go from smoldering to frigid in a matter of seconds.  I was sure he thought I was about as crazy as a loon… or a reality TV star.
    Suddenly , I realized the movie had moved to where Costner and Robbins go out back of the club to “fight.”  Jake laughed when Costner said the part about not being able to hit water if you fell out of a fucking boat.
    Okay, that was really funny.  When the rookie missed his pitch at Costner and broke out the window of the back door, I had to stifle my own laugh.
    Costner teaches the rookie lesson number one: don’t think.  It can only hurt the ball club.   
    I turned and saw Jake wipe his mouth with the back of his hand…
    And fell right back into wanting the man with a fiery passion.  My god those freaking hot-as-hell lips!
    I tore my gaze from him and that was when Susan asked both men to go home with her.
    What a woman… even if she was fictional.  She really had confidence.
    I finished my piece of pizza and was trying desperately not to look over at Jake; the temptation was so strong. 
    I was about to lie and say I was really tired, and that I had an early day tomorrow—which I did—when Susan asked Costner what he believed in?
    Costner’s answer, about the small of a woman’s back, outlawing Astroturf, and yes, the cock and the pussy, was delivered with such passion and sensuality.
    I looked over to Jake, and he wasn’t smiling anymore.  He looked like I felt.  Overheated and ready to explode.
    I looked back to the television and closed my eyes.  Don’t, don’t, don’t…
    Oh , fuck it!
    Next thing I knew my body was hurtling across the couch and onto Jake’s.  Our lips met just as his arms wrapped around me and his hand caressed down the small of my back. 
    I moaned and licked up into his delicious, soft mouth.  My mind went perfectly, blissfully blank as my body exploded in a supernova of want and lust and hope.
    I felt an electrical charge as our bodies rubbed together, and Jake pulled me closer.
    Then just as quickly as it had happened, I was sitting on the couch on the other side of Jake, and he was standing, his lips rosy and moist from our kiss.
    I just looked up at him, stunned.
    He smiled down at me, his dimples making his wicked smile practically evil.
    “Now that we’ve got that out of the way—and wow, you can really kiss—we’ll have a real, scheduled date next.”
    Then the bastard grabbed a piece of pizza and his jacket and headed for the door.
    “You’re leaving?” I said, incensed. 
    He stopped as he pulled his jacket on over his broad shoulders.  “Well, yeah.  I’ve got an early day tomorrow, and I can tell you’re kind of in need of a little time to… digest all this.”
    Oh, he had noticed all the mental acrobatics.  Damn…
    “So we’ll pick this up on our next date.” He turned and