Free Rachel's Redemption by Jennifer Maitlen Page A

and if I eat like you”—she pointed an accusatory finger at him—“it won’t fit at all. There. Are you satisfied?”
    She looked away. She was obviously embarrassed and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. Her body was amazing. Thanks to her flash job the other day—and what a stroke of timing that had been—he knew first hand.
    “Rachel.” He waited. When her emerald eyes were looking at him, he said, “You have nothing to worry about.”
    She rolled her eyes. He slowly reached out his hand and touched her fingers, gently, but firmly. He wanted her full attention. “Trust me.”
    A flush covered her face and her lips parted into a small ‘O’. She pulled her hand away, but he’d gotten his point across. One thing he couldn’t stand was a woman that hid her curves. And, the curves on Rachel deserved to be showcased.
    And he should have his head examined.
    What did he care about her curves and whether or not she showed them off? She wasn’t sticking around and he wasn’t interested in . . . what? A relationship? Hell no. A roll in the hay? A one-night stand? Well . . .
    Now he really needed his head examined.
    Who was he kidding? Of course he’d go for a roll in the hay or a one-night stand. What guy wouldn’t go for a “no questions asked” night of bliss with the woman sitting across from him? The thing was, she wasn’t offering and he wasn’t asking. Sex would only muddy the waters between them. He was having a hard enough time derailing her. It’d be impossible with a night of steamy-hot sex between them.
    Plus, she wasn’t the type of woman that would go for a one-night stand. He bet she was one of those girls who needed a commitment to have sex. Plus, she was a focused, career-driven woman. She set goals and tenaciously pursued them to completion. She didn’t allow for distractions of any kind. That much was obvious just by the way she was tackling the planning of this event.
    He understood completely. He lived his life the exact same way. All except for the part about needing a commitment to have sex.
    Logan had no business thinking of her in any way other than enemy. She was a threat to the fledgling life he was building for himself.
    He took a swallow from his own coffee mug.
    A few moments of silence settled between them before a heaping plate of pancakes was placed in front of him and a colorful bowl of fruit placed in front of Rachel.
    He didn’t waste any time digging in nor did he miss the way Rachel’s lips settled around a hunk of cantaloupe. Watching her mouth work still gave him ideas. He kept his mouth full of pancake goodness so it wouldn’t be tempted to say anything else he’d regret or that she’d analyze later.
    It didn’t take long for Logan to polish off the pancakes or for Rachel to nibble down her boring bowl of fruit. The morning crowd was starting to thin. Their waitress cleared the table and topped off their coffee.
    Logan leaned back in the booth, his stomach satisfyingly full. He observed Rachel as he sipped his coffee. She’d retrieved her notebook and was chewing on a fingernail. It was time to talk about the elephant sitting between them.
    “This”—he rolled his hand in the air—“ event is not taking place anywhere near my football program.”
    “It isn’t.”
    “That’s right. Wait. What did you say?”
    “You’re right. It isn’t, technically, happening near your football program.” Rachel stirred her coffee.
    “Where technically is it taking place?”
    Rachel swallowed. “The gymnasium.”
    “No.”
    “What do you mean ‘no’?”
    He dropped his chin. “I know you know that no means no.”
    She met him stare for stare. “It’s not your decision.”
    He pushed his coffee cup to the side. “Yes. It is.”
    “The town council didn’t give you ultimate authority.”
    “The school hired me to coach the football team. This mess will interfere with that.”
    “It won’t. You’re precious game happens