Free Tempting the Player by J. Lynn Page B

liar sitting next to him.
    “So, where did we meet?” he asked, grinning when she stiffened. If she thought she was off the hook that easily, she had another think coming. After a month of wondering what the hell happened to her, he wouldn’t let her get away this time.
    Bridget looked up, her chin jutting out stubbornly. “It was at some bar. You were there with a friend.”
    “Hmm, I can’t recall this bar.”
    She shot him a glare, and Chad’s grin spread. Understanding quickly flared in her eyes, and then she looked away. “Anyway, Madison almost has the numbers finished for the winter gala.”
    Maddie blinked. “Oh, yeah, with all the donations expected, we’re hoping to raise quite a bit of money this year for the Extended Learning program at the Smithsonian.”
    “That’s my girl.” Chase bent his head, kissing her cheek.
    Damn, his brother was whipped.
    Sometimes it was strange seeing those two like that, especially Chase. They were perfect together, but Chad could never see himself in his younger brother’s shoes, loving someone so much you let go of the past and turned your whole world upside down for her.
    “We only have a month to get everything ready,” Bridget chattered on, “but we’ve sold out the tickets.”
    “That’s good news,” Chase said. “Are you guys going to have everything ready by then?”
    Maddie nodded. “Yeah, the only thing that will be last-minute will be Bridget.”
    Chad’s interest piqued. “Why is that?”
    Beside him, Bridget went stock-still as she glared at Maddie, which was blatantly ignored. “Bridget always waits till the last moment to bring a date.”
    “Does she?” Extending an arm along the back of their booth, he spread his legs, taking up as much room as humanly possible.
    She scooted over a little, which planted her against the art deco wall. “I like to keep my options open.”
    For some reason hearing that got under his skin. Was that why she had disappeared? Did she see someone at the club who was a better option? Doubtful.
    “Anyway,” Chase said. “Back to you two. So you met at a bar and…?”
    Bridget’s shoulders slumped.
    Taking pity on her even though she didn’t deserve it, he said, “You know, I think I remember now. We talked about baseball.”
    “Uh huh,” Chase said, sounding doubtful.
    Maddie looked just as disbelieving. “You talked about baseball, Bridget? You don’t know anything about baseball.”
    “Yes. I do,” Bridget huffed.
    “Like what?” Maddie challenged.
    Those lush lips he’d had so many plans for that night thinned. “People throw balls and try to hit them with a bat and get paid way too much for doing so. What more do you need to know than that?”
    Chad tipped his head back and laughed. He had forgotten how feisty her mouth was. It hadn’t been the first thing that had drawn him to her—that had been that round ass—but it definitely had hooked him in, provoking his need to control and dominate.
    “Sounds about right,” Chad agreed. He glanced at his brother. “I think Chase has said that a time or two.”
    His brother nodded.
    The food arrived and for a while the topic was dropped. Everyone dug in…everyone except Bridget, who spent more time breaking her burger up into tiny pieces than she did eating it.
    He leaned over, close enough to catch the scent of her shampoo. Jasmine. It was just like he remembered. No heavy perfumes, just the soft, musky scent of jasmine. Damn, he hadn’t been able to get this woman out of his head. “Do you always play with your food?”
    Bridget’s head snapped in his direction and as close as he was, her cheek grazed his. She gasped and then jerked back. “I’m not playing with my food.”
    Chad knew he should move back, because he was far beyond the boundaries of personal space, but he didn’t. Some would say he was being a bastard like that, but for him, it was fun and he liked to tease.
    All different kinds of ways.
    “I’m actually waiting for you to