Free Luck of the Draw by Kelley Vitollo Page A

pulse sky-rocketed.
    “You’re tryin’ to kill me.”
    “I don’t recall you saying that.”
    He shrugged. “But you are. You’re testing my strength here. I’m steering clear of women and attachments, remember?”
    She gasped. Yes, she knew that. “If your strength is tested that easily, maybe that’s why things haven’t gone too well for you.”
    “Who said it was always on such a hair trigger? Maybe it’s just you who ups the ante.”
    Funny how his words didn’t upset her now. Just having gotten the phone call for a reservation made her feel lighter…more herself. Regardless of what happened with Breck, she would find a way to do this on her own.
    Rowan tried to laugh it off. He was a flirt; she knew that. It was just how he was, but suddenly it sent unsettling warmth through her.
    She hoped her voice came out steady when she tried to be just as carefree as Breck and said, “You’re always playing a game. Maybe it’s not that you’re such a good player, but you just give yourself good odds.”
    Breck barked out a bigger-than-life laugh. “Touché, Houdini.” He held his arm out for her. “Come on. I’m shutting my mouth now and we’re going to have a good time.”
    Rowan found herself linking her arm through his and letting him lead her out.
    But his words still weren’t far from her mind. I’m steering clear of women and attachments, remember?
    They took Breck’s car to Lucky’s. It was, of course, raining when they got there, so Breck pulled up and let her out by the front door. Rowan waited inside for him.
    When the door swung open and he stepped inside, he shook water off his head, letting it fly at her.
    “Hey!” What was the point in dropping her off if he was going to get her wet?
    Breck’s head was faced down, but he looked up enough just to see her and wagged his eyebrows. He had this delicious, sinful look in his eyes that sent her hormones into overdrive. Some of his hair was plastered to his forehead and it made her flash back to that night. The way sweat stuck to their skin as they clutched each other.
    Her knees went weak.
    “You are such a big kid,” she said playfully, trying to keep herself in check. It was amazing how the silly things he did made her feel so buoyant, when she let them.
    “I’m fun. Come on. Jace texted me to make sure I came with you.”
    “Of course Jace is here. We’re always here.”
    Rowan jumped when she felt Breck’s hand at the small of her back. He looked down at her, cocking an eyebrow like he often did. “My touch has an effect on you, huh?”
    Yes. Yes it did. “Yeah, it gives me hives,” she tossed back at him.
    With a playful shake of his head, he walked toward the bar section of Lucky’s. Rowan had tended bar here for a couple months before opening her bed and breakfast. Kade had since hired a few other people to help.
    She spotted Kade, along with Sidney, Betsy, Jace, and some random woman who was no doubt Jace’s flavor of the week. The man was a revolving door for women. She was glad to see Betsy in a conversation with Sidney and hoped she wasn’t letting Jace’s date get to her.
    Just then, Sidney looked up and caught her eye. She and Betsy rushed from the table, bounding toward her. Uh oh. She knew their looks meant trouble. They were probably on pins and needles to properly meet Breck.
    It was Sidney who spoke first. She held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Sidney.”
    Rowan noticed his forehead wrinkle like he could tell something was up, but he pulled his hand from her back and shook Sidney’s. “Breck Wilder.” His voice was low, sexy.
    “Are you hitting on my friend?” Rowan shook her head.
    “What!” he looked at her innocently.
    “You do it and you don’t even realize it. You get that sexy, low voice going every time you talk to a woman.”
    “You think it’s sexy? If you do, I’ll use it all the time.”
    Betsy gasped, but a smile hid behind her shock. How she could work with Jace and be surprised by flirts,