Free The Name of the Game by Jennifer Dawson Page A

Charlie studying her with that cop’s expression he wore.
    Busted .
    â€œWhat?” She knew right away she’d come off as defensive and far too obvious.
    He smiled. “Took you long enough. I was beginning to think you’d never figure it out.”
    â€œI have no idea what you mean.” She straightened her spine.
    â€œCome on, let’s go.” Charlie took her hand and pulled her toward the outdoor veranda already crowded with people. “We’ll get you some fresh air.”
    Resisting the urge to look over her shoulder at the man who plagued her thoughts, she let Charlie drag her outside. The cool air washed over her hot cheeks, but instead of calming her, it made her more aware that her skin burned for the professor.
    Without a word, they worked their way through the people until they stood next to the balcony railing. She blew out a long breath as they looked out over the lake in silence.
    Finally Charlie said, “You’d don’t get this view in Revival.”
    â€œNo, you don’t.” She pointed up at the night sky. “But you don’t get the same stars here.”
    He followed her gaze. “True.”
    On the pier, the Ferris wheel spun in slow rotation, the lights glittering. Not wanting to think anymore about James, she focused on the man next to her. Better to probe his secrets than hers. “Do you miss Chicago?”
    His shoulders stiffened as they always did whenever she asked him about his past. “Sometimes, although I traveled so much I’m not sure it ever seemed like home.”
    Once upon a time Charlie had been with the FBI. When he quit he’d followed Mitch, his childhood friend, to Revival and joined the small police department. A year later when the old sheriff had retired, he’d been elected to the position he’d held ever since. In all the years they’d slept together, Charlie had never spoken of his reasons for leaving the bureau, no matter how much Gracie pried.
    She put her hands on the rail, the cold metal against her fingers, steadying her. “Are you ever going to tell me why you left?”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter,” he said, stubborn as ever. “So when did you figure it out?”
    She’d asked one question too many and now the topic was back on her. She evaded. “Figure what out?”
    â€œThat all that snarling you do at the professor is really fear?”
    Her brows slammed together and she swung on him. “I am not afraid! He’s the most harmless man I ever met.”
    Charlie snorted. “Hardly.”
    She bit her bottom lip to keep the rash words from flying out of her mouth. She needed to play this cool. She waved a hand and put on her most breezy smile. “Please, you’re delusional. Can you even imagine?”
    Charlie’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I can, quite easily.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous. We’re totally incompatible.” Okay, so she realized she harbored some sort of feelings for the guy, but that didn’t change the fundamental truth. He was the exact opposite of the kind of man she wanted. He wasn’t wild or spontaneous. He cared about propriety. He was overly controlled. Intellectual. Analytical. Logical. A fitness addict, a health-food freak. And a hundred other things she didn’t want.
    She couldn’t sleep with him. Besides Sam, her friends were the closest she had to family. She couldn’t risk ruining her relationship with them when she knew perfectly well things would never work out with James.
    Charlie shook his head and the wind blew through his dark hair. “Still doesn’t change the fact that our days were numbered after he showed up.”
    She planted her hands on her hips. “He has nothing to do with us.”
    He smiled at her, trailing a finger down her cheek. “I know your reasons and you were right. We had great chemistry, but we’ve always been more friends than anything