Free Renegade Millionaire by Kristi Gold Page B

okay?”
    â€œI’d say that.”
    Rio didn’t appear to be looking at the ball, or the cue. He was looking straight at her cleavage, slightly exposed beneath her cotton blouse because of her position. Normally she would scold him. Normally she would button up to the neck and give him a dirty look. But she didn’t feel all that normal. She felt wicked, delighting in the power she seemed to have over him at that moment.
    About time. He’d mesmerized her on more than one occasion.
    Finally he looked away and removed the rack. “It’s all yours.”
    With a little thoughtful planning, Joanna managed to hit the cue ball exactly right, causing it to bounce twice but landing short of the other balls.
    She straightened and tried to look contrite. “Sorry. Guess it’s been longer than I thought.”
    â€œMaybe you’re not holding the cue right.” He took his time traveling to the other end of the table but didn’t hesitate when he came up behind her and circled his arms around her, positioning her hand on the end of the stick. Joanna had all the confidence in the world on how to handle a cue, but she didn’t have a clue on how to handle his nearness and still remain composed enough to play the game. He was warm against her back, hard, male, making her feel intoxicated as if she’d raided the old-timey bar and downed all the whiskey.
    His breath fanned her face, fed the flame now spanning the length of her. He smelled like incense, spicy and exotic and tempting. Joanna continued to play ignorant, play at this game of chance where the stakes were high and losing all common sense could be the price she would pay if not careful.
    â€œNow hold it steady,” he said in a warm honeyed voice, thick and seductively sweet.
    Steady? How could she? “I’ll try.”
    The feel of him molded to her backside in all the right places had knocked her self-control for a loop, disturbedthe timbre of her voice. She sounded like a mouse and felt like a woman. A woman in dire straits, enveloped in the solid arms of a man-boy with too much charm and the means to make her tremble, which she did, but only slightly.
    With Rio’s assistance—help she didn’t really need—she broke the balls, effectively scattering them over the green felt surface, the way her composure scattered in his presence.
    Much to her disappointment, and relief, he straightened and moved away.
    His grin was confident, distracting. “You don’t have to call the pocket right now since you’re getting reacquainted with the game.”
    Joanna smiled to herself. Little did he know, the charade was now off and the competition on.
    She leaned forward over the table, sensing Rio’s scrutiny and trying hard to ignore it. If she didn’t, she’d probably bounce the balls like ball bearings across the room with her first shot. “Twelve ball, corner pocket.” After she said it, she did it. And again and again. With little effort, she cleared the table of all the striped balls.
    Feeling sassy and satisfied, she said, “Well, Doctor, do you want to take a shot now before I take on the eight ball? I’ll be glad to let you.”
    His smile looked sinister, and totally sexy. “You little sneak. Where’d you learn to play like that?”
    â€œMy dad.”
    â€œHe taught you well.”
    â€œYes, he did. As a matter of fact, he made a living at being a teacher. English teacher. So did my mom.”
    â€œDo you two still play?”
    â€œHe died when I was in college.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œSo am I, but he led a full life. I only wish he’d known his grandson.” Joseph had been lacking a good male role model because of that fact, and his own father’s apathy.
    Rio laid his cue on the table, not bothering to take a shot. But he sure as heck was shooting holes in Joanna’s resolve when he took the cue from her and laid it