Read Online Playing for Keeps by Jamie Hill - Free Book Online

nervous, like he was trying to convince himself. "We can try it, anyway."
    Maddie laughed out loud. "God, you're positively green! Take the offer back real quick, before I have a chance to consider it."
    He smiled. "I don't want to take it back. I think it would be great."
    " Keep saying it; pretty soon you'll believe it."
    He rolled over and faced her. "This is a big step for me, with Sophie here and all. I just have to be sure I'm doing the right thing."
    " I know that." She touched his cheek gently. "So what if we take this real slowly? I'll bring a few things over, stay a few nights, and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, we try it my way. Or, we go back to afternoon delight."
    He smiled and nodded. He kissed her and brought her body under him, his knee wedging firmly between her legs. Maddie wrapped her arms around his neck, and they necked until Sophie stuck her face next to theirs. "I'm thirsty."
    Rob paused, but didn't let go of Maddie. He looked at his daughter. "I'm kissing Maddie right now. Check the cooler for a juice box."  They watched her pull out the little box.
    " I need help with the straw." She handed it over.
    Maddie lifted her hands from his back and reached for the drink. "Here." She pulled the straw off the box, peeled away the wrapper, and poked it into the box. "Don't squeeze until you drink some." She pointed to Rob's back.
    Sophie 's eyes sparkled as she reached for the juice box and squeezed it over her father's back. Juice bubbled forth and soaked his t-shirt.
    " Why you little…" Rob grabbed for his daughter but Maddie held him firm.
    " Run, Soph! I'll distract him for a minute to give you a head start."
    Sophie chuckled and took off. Rob looked at Maddie and grinned. "Co-conspirators, eh?"
    " You said something about kissing me?" She batted her eyes, and he kissed her.
    A short while later , after Rob tickled Sophie until they were all almost in tears; he decided to get the sprinkler out to cool off. He stripped off his t-shirt and rinsed off his sticky back with the hose, threatening both girls with a soaking if they tried any more tricks. He attached a rotating sprinkler to the hose nozzle, and set it on the ground. Sophie and Bo romped through the water, occasionally spraying some on the adults, and when the afternoon was over, they were all drenched.
    " I'm glad I have clothes to change into." Maddie wrung some water from her shirt and tried to dry off before she went into the house.
    " Ah, don't change." Rob eyed her wet shirt.
    " Sorry. These clothes got to go."
    T hey all went in to change. She stripped out of her wet things and dried off with a towel.
    " Hmmm…" Rob stepped up behind her, naked.
    " Well hello." She turned to face him.
    He nipped at her neck, and ran his hands down her back to her butt.
    "We need to get dressed," she reminded him.
    " I know," he murmured and squeezed her, jumping when the bedroom door rattled. "Did you lock that?"
    " No." She pulled away, and he threw on his clothes fast, hurtling himself at the door to block it. When he was dressed, he stepped aside.
    Maddie pulled her shirt down as Sophie bounded into the room. "What's for dinner?" the child asked.
    " Whoa there." Rob sat on the edge of his bed. "You ever think about knocking before you come running in here?"
    " No," Sophie admitted. She jumped on him. "I'm hungry."
    " God, didn't we just eat?" Rob leaned back and stretched.
    " I'm still hungry," Sophie insisted.
    " Why don't we order pizza?" Maddie suggested.
    Sophie pushed up and down on Rob 's chest. "We never get pizza! Please daddy, let's get pizza!"
    Maddie looked at Rob quizzically. "Problem with the Capitalist Pizza Industry?"
    He gave her a look and smiled. "I don't like to get fast food when Sophie's here. We attempt to limit processed foods."
    Maddie rolled her eyes. "Well la dee da." She put her hands on her hips. "I enjoy pizza, and I don't believe it's hurt me too much."
    He eyed her up and down. "No, it definitely has not. But you're