Free Make Your Move by Samantha Hunter

that, it’s letting him win. Did you ever consider that? That living your life without love means he changed you forever? That you let him keep you from being happy in your life?”
    She was so still Dan didn’t know what to think. They stood like that for several long minutes, no one saying anything. Had he gone too far?
    “I guess that’s true,” she said, surprising him, but still not looking at him. “I never thought about it like that.”
    “And?”
    “I don’t know. I am who I am, you know? I don’t believe in love.”
    “Maybe I can help you change that. People change their beliefs all the time. It’s the foundation of scientific thought, really, when you think about it.”
    “Who am I to thwart the very foundations of scientific reason?” she said, and Dan had to smile. He knew he was wearing her down.
    “Exactly.”
    “I guess if I was ever going to risk any kind of permanent relationship, you would be the right choice? The logical choice?” She laughed, pushing a handthrough her hair. “I can’t believe I’m actually buying into this.”
    “It will work, Jodie. You’ll see.”
    “Listen, Dan, I know you mean well, but—”
    “No buts. Let’s try this, Jodie. What do you have to lose? The sex between us is great, and we’re friends. Why not give it a shot?” he asked. “We can see if it works, and if it doesn’t, we’ll leave it behind, and just go back to being friends?”
    Dan was building an escape hatch, and he was okay with that, since he had no intention of letting her use it. He knew they could never go back to being simply friends. Ever.
    So this experiment had to work.
    She stared at him intently, shaking her head, and he felt his heart take a dive, sure he had lost his chance to convince her.
    “Okay then,” she said, dusting her hands on the side of her jeans. “You win. We can be friends with benefits for a while, but either of us can call time, and we just become friends again, right?”
    “Yeah,” Dan said with a smile. He’d won. Jodie was his. He’d make sure this worked.
    And he was going to start right now, he thought, crossing the kitchen and catching her up close for a deep kiss, old-movie style, dipping her down low. She laughed at first, but before long, they were on their way to the kitchen tile, breathless.
    Until they were interrupted by the shrill ring of her cordless phone on the wall.
    “Don’t answer, they’ll leave a message,” he said against her neck.
    She was inclined to agree, as he had her both hot and bothered, but they froze as they heard Ginger’s panicked voice. Jodie jumped up and grabbed the phone, tugging her clothes back into place.
    Dan watched her face clear, red patches staining her cheeks—anger. She pushed a hand through her bangs.
    “Okay, I’m sorry, Ginger, I’ll be right there.” She hung up and walked past him, grabbing his hand. “C’mon, we have to go.”
    “Where?”
    “It’s the shop. Someone broke in and wrecked the place.”

6
    “I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS, ” Jodie said in amazement, noting the destruction of the cases, the ruined baked goods on the floor, crushed.
    Jason, she thought immediately.
    He’d said she hadn’t seen the last of him, but would a respected scientist really break into a business like a common thug? There had to be another explanation.
    “We’ll be closed for two days, at least,” Ginger said dispiritedly. “The back is even worse. The orders were thrown and ripped, bags of flour and other ingredients dumped.”
    “Insurance will cover the damage, but not the lost business,” Jodie said with a sigh, contemplating the slurs written in red spray paint across the glass display. It was clear disapproval of the sexy cookies she sold.
    Dan hadn’t said a word, but had been out back while she and Ginger had surveyed the damage up front and talked with police. Jody hadn’t mentioned suspecting Jason, and tried to think through all the possibilities. There was no way the break-in was