Read Online Playing with Fire - A Sports Romance by Lydia De Luca - Free Book Online

days, they’ll be the death of me.

    * * *
    “ W hat's wrong , Tiger?” Jen’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
    “Huh? Nothing. What you mean you mean, what’s wrong?”
    She laughs at me and punches my shoulder. “You handed over your keys to your pride and joy without another thought. It's not like you.”
    “I'm okay, it’s nothing.” I watch the valet drive off in my Corvette before I turn to the door of the Savory and frown. “You sure you want to go here? I’m sure there are better places around town. We could go to a club or something.”
    “Yes, I’m sure I want to go here. Come on.” Jen tugs on my elbow and I turn my attention back to her. “It will be fun, I promise.”
    I take a big breath and follow my sister into Riverside. I’m not sure what I’ll do if Frankie is here tonight. Surely, with her working in the city, she’ll find a place of her own. It doesn't make sense to stay at a hotel like this long-term. The price has got to be prohibitive. And the chances I’d run into her, one of millions of people in this city, are beyond slim. I keep telling myself these things as we walk through the front doors, like a broken record playing in my head.
    The bar looks exactly as I remember it. Dark. Sexy. Packed with people. The lights over the dance floor are flashing yellow, red, and blue tonight. The pulse of the music beats like a racing heart. I drag my eyes over the room, searching for anyone I know. I don't see anyone familiar, but then again, there are so many people it’s hard to see.
    “I'm going to go grab a table,” Jen says, yelling to be heard over the pounding bass. “Get me a drink?”
    I nod and turn towards the bar as Jen slips off into the crowd. I'm half-convinced I’ll see Frankie there, like sex in heels, like she was weeks ago. It’s not until I realize she’s not that I force myself to walk forward.
    It takes a while to get our drinks and push through the crowd. Jen’s found a table in the middle of the room, and she grabs a bottle of beer from my hand as I slide into my chair.
    “Isn't this great? There’s so much energy here!”
    I smile and tip my beer bottle in her direction before taking a long pull. No matter how I feel about being here, it’s nice to see my sister having fun. It’s been years since we were able to hang out like this. So much has changed since we were young, and it’s strange to see her so grown up. The last time we hung out together, she wasn’t old enough to drink.
    We both sit back in our chairs and listen to the band. Jen’s bopping her head to the music and practically dancing in her chair. I laugh at her, and she smacks the back of her hand against my shoulder. She scowls, but it soon turns to a wide grin.
    After a few songs, I can see Jen getting anxious. I'm about to tell her to get out on the dance floor when some guy bends down next to her and says something into her ear. Jen glances over at me with her eyebrows raised and tilts her head towards the dance floor. I tip my bottle towards her and nod, and she jumps out of her chair and makes her way through the crowd with her new friend.
    I’ve flagged down a waitress twice to order more beer by the time Jen comes back. The band has finished their set and is packing up, and the dance floor has started to clear. A mix of club-like dance music is pulsing through the air. I feel like I can breathe again.
    “Where’s your friend?” I ask as Jen plops down across from me and snags my beer from the table.
    “Eh, he took off a bit ago. I was having too much fun to stop.”
    “Of course you were.” I smile and shake my head. She always was the outgoing type. I'm about to suggest we take off, maybe find another club where she can dance some more, when a guy lands in the seat beside Jen.
    “There you are, love. I’ve been looking for you.”
    Jen beams and leans towards him. “Well, hi there.” It’s the same guy she ran off with earlier, and he’s clearly made an impression.