Free Turbulent Kisses by Jessica Gray Page B

delicious cooking. “I’ve always admired people who can cook.”
    “You don’t like to cook?” Allison asked while feeding the baby mashed food.
    “It’s not that. I’m just not good at it. I mean, I can cook pasta and pour a jar of spaghetti sauce over it, but that’s about it.”
    Soon dinner was finished and Russell suggested they all retire to the living room and discuss Pearl’s future. Chase saw the color drain from her face, but then she seemed to stiffen her spine and prepare for the worst.
    He listened quietly as Russell and Pearl discussed first her knee and then her scar.
    “But I want to compete. Or at least try to. If I go ahead with the treatment for the scar, that won’t be possible. I’m a diver. I can’t stay out of the water for days on end.”
    Chase suddenly got a clear picture of the little things that had been bugging him about her. The limp. Not wanting him to touch her thigh and changing her mind in the last second about getting down and naked with him.
    “Chase, what would you do if you were in Pearl’s situation?” Russell asked, bringing him into the conversation.
    He could feel her eyes on him and gave her an encouraging smile. “I’d want to compete. There’s no way I’d want to sit out a year. I’d probably lose my sponsors, and my skills would deteriorate. It would be awfully hard to come back the next year.”
    Pearl’s face relaxed, and she even sent him a small smile for reinforcing her point of view.
    This small smile was enough to make his brain go to mush and open his mouth before he could have second thoughts. “I’d be happy to work out with you while I’m in Sandy Beach. I know what it takes to come back from an injury.”
    “I’d like that.” Her voice had lost the sad undertone and sounded almost enthusiastic.
    Chase ignored the warning glare Russell was sending him, instead keeping his focus on the beautiful woman sitting across from him. “Great.”
    Pearl turned to Russell, visibly excited. “I’m going to wait for the scar treatment until after the season is over.”
    “Are you sure?” he asked her with a worried glance.
    “I’m positive. Thank you so much for inviting me over here tonight. It really did help to talk things out. Chase, I’ll see you at the beach tomorrow at eight a.m.?”
    Chase nodded, excitement rushing through his veins. “You can count on it.”
    Pearl excused herself and when Chase went to follow her, Russell grabbed his arm, holding him back. “Not so fast.”
    He sighed and shrugged his arm free. “What? You asked for my opinion, and I gave it. There’s no way I would let a little scar keep me from competing.”
    “It’s not just the scar and, trust me, it’s not little.”
    “I don’t care how big it is. She wants to compete and getting her mind wrapped around the training is half the battle.”
    Russell’s eyebrows knitted together and he sent him a dark stare. “Chase, I’m warning you. Stay away from her. She’s had a major blow with the injury and now the stress of trying to come back up to competition levels. And she’s too nice a person to become another one of your playmates. Understood?”
    Chase glared at the man who was getting ready to marry his sister. He balled his hand into a fist and lowered his voice. “Don’t you worry about my playmates. Pearl’s a big girl. If she wants to play, that’s up to her.”
    “Stay away from her.”
    “Or what?” Chase demanded, squaring off against Russell.
    Allison came rushing into the foyer, putting herself physically between the two men. “Hey boys! Dial back the testosterone. I’m sure my Chase wouldn’t set out to intentionally break Pearls’ heart. Would you?”
    She forged ahead before he could answer. “And Russell, I know you’re worried about her because you’re a good doctor and that’s what good doctor’s do. But you two shouldn’t be fighting about something like this.”
    She kissed Russell on the lips and wrapped an arm around