Read Online Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger by Lori Copeland - Free Book Online
Authors: Lori Copeland
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kids of your own to teach," he suggested coolly.
Jessie gave a short ironic laugh. "No, I'm afraid not." Her eyes dropped painfully away from his.
Picking up his glass of tea again, Jason asked curtly, "What did you want to see me about, Jessica?"
Jessica stood and walked over to the large window, gazing momentarily at the sweet-smelling flowers, trying to bolster her courage. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to face Jason.
"Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey's will was read today."
"And?"
Jessica could feel his eyes resting lightly on her slim, tanned body, bringing old sweet, torturous memories flooding into her mind. Her eyes fell on his soft, sensuous mouththat perfect mouth which had brought such unbearable pleasure to her that one night so long ago. She could almost feel the teasing yet demanding pressure as it had opened over hers in long drugging kisses. Jessica ran the tip of her tongue around her lips, lightly moistening
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them as the vague, familiar tightening inside her increased. For the second time that day her violet eyes met his soft, lazy green ones. The tension in the room increased as they both silently relived their brief but passionate wedding night. Jessica could feel herself drowning in the dark jade pools, alive with barely concealed desire as the quiet ticking of the old grandfather clock that sat in the hall filled the silent room.
Shoving his chair back from the table, Jason rose to his feet, striding over to the counter to pour another glass of tea for himself. Jessica jerked her mind determinedly back to the will. ''It seems in order for me to inherit the estate, I have to return home and run this farm for six months," she blurted out.
Jason was still standing at the counter, his back to her. Jessica saw his muscles tense slightly before he took another drink from his glass.
"How do you propose to do that? You don't know anything about running a farm, do you?" He set his empty glass back down on the counter.
"Absolutely nothing. I've been gone so many years I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to do with all those cows standing out there."
Jason laughed quietly as he walked back over to the table and sat down. "You were raised here. You'd do better than you think."
"Jason, I don't want to come back here and run this farm! I want to start a catering business of my own, and it just burns me to think that Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey, even in death, have managed to tear my life up once again . . ." She stopped in mid-sentence, a rosy flush coloring her face.
Jason looked at her pointedly, then shrugged his broad shoulders indifferently. "Then don't do it."
"But without the inheritance I wouldn't be able to start my own business." Jessica strolled back over to the table and dropped into her chair. "I can't for the life of me
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imagine why they wouldn't let me make my own decisions. My gosh, I'm twenty-five years old nowperfectly able to take care of myself,'' she finished heatedly.
"Perfectly," Jason responded sarcastically, his eyes on the Lincoln sitting in the drive behind Jessica's back.
Jessica's gaze followed his, and seeing his line of thought, she blurted out, "Jason, I said I was sorry! Believe me," she continued, "I've always had a perfect driving record!"
"Well, you sure blew it all to hell in one day, didn't you?" he said grimly, his eyes still on the vehicle sitting in the drive. Turning to face her again, his bold eyes appraised the graceful lines of her shapely body once again, and he asked with irony, "Aren't you sore from the beating you've taken today?"
"A little," she acknowledged sheepishly. "I probably won't be able to get out of bed in the morning."
"Well, I've always made it a point to help my neighbors," he teased, his eyes sparkling devilishly like the old Jason's, "so if you have any trouble, I'll . . ." He stopped, old memories surfacing in his eyes. "Send one of my men over to help you," he finished lamely.
Great, Jessica thought rebelliously, just
Jessie gave a short ironic laugh. "No, I'm afraid not." Her eyes dropped painfully away from his.
Picking up his glass of tea again, Jason asked curtly, "What did you want to see me about, Jessica?"
Jessica stood and walked over to the large window, gazing momentarily at the sweet-smelling flowers, trying to bolster her courage. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to face Jason.
"Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey's will was read today."
"And?"
Jessica could feel his eyes resting lightly on her slim, tanned body, bringing old sweet, torturous memories flooding into her mind. Her eyes fell on his soft, sensuous mouththat perfect mouth which had brought such unbearable pleasure to her that one night so long ago. She could almost feel the teasing yet demanding pressure as it had opened over hers in long drugging kisses. Jessica ran the tip of her tongue around her lips, lightly moistening
Page 62
them as the vague, familiar tightening inside her increased. For the second time that day her violet eyes met his soft, lazy green ones. The tension in the room increased as they both silently relived their brief but passionate wedding night. Jessica could feel herself drowning in the dark jade pools, alive with barely concealed desire as the quiet ticking of the old grandfather clock that sat in the hall filled the silent room.
Shoving his chair back from the table, Jason rose to his feet, striding over to the counter to pour another glass of tea for himself. Jessica jerked her mind determinedly back to the will. ''It seems in order for me to inherit the estate, I have to return home and run this farm for six months," she blurted out.
Jason was still standing at the counter, his back to her. Jessica saw his muscles tense slightly before he took another drink from his glass.
"How do you propose to do that? You don't know anything about running a farm, do you?" He set his empty glass back down on the counter.
"Absolutely nothing. I've been gone so many years I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to do with all those cows standing out there."
Jason laughed quietly as he walked back over to the table and sat down. "You were raised here. You'd do better than you think."
"Jason, I don't want to come back here and run this farm! I want to start a catering business of my own, and it just burns me to think that Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey, even in death, have managed to tear my life up once again . . ." She stopped in mid-sentence, a rosy flush coloring her face.
Jason looked at her pointedly, then shrugged his broad shoulders indifferently. "Then don't do it."
"But without the inheritance I wouldn't be able to start my own business." Jessica strolled back over to the table and dropped into her chair. "I can't for the life of me
Page 63
imagine why they wouldn't let me make my own decisions. My gosh, I'm twenty-five years old nowperfectly able to take care of myself,'' she finished heatedly.
"Perfectly," Jason responded sarcastically, his eyes on the Lincoln sitting in the drive behind Jessica's back.
Jessica's gaze followed his, and seeing his line of thought, she blurted out, "Jason, I said I was sorry! Believe me," she continued, "I've always had a perfect driving record!"
"Well, you sure blew it all to hell in one day, didn't you?" he said grimly, his eyes still on the vehicle sitting in the drive. Turning to face her again, his bold eyes appraised the graceful lines of her shapely body once again, and he asked with irony, "Aren't you sore from the beating you've taken today?"
"A little," she acknowledged sheepishly. "I probably won't be able to get out of bed in the morning."
"Well, I've always made it a point to help my neighbors," he teased, his eyes sparkling devilishly like the old Jason's, "so if you have any trouble, I'll . . ." He stopped, old memories surfacing in his eyes. "Send one of my men over to help you," he finished lamely.
Great, Jessica thought rebelliously, just
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