Reading Online Novel

Perfectly Ms. Matched(34)



“I’d rather talk about us.” Linda moved closer and laid her hand on his forearm. He’d swear she was wearing the perfume he’d given her right before their breakup. Something he’d had made especially for her birthday. “It’s not too late to change your mind. Engagements get broken all the time. I’d like a second chance, Chad.”

Linda was a snake. He’d been a fool to be charmed by her once. It’d never happen again. “Jo and I are getting married. And I want to talk about a custody agreement for Ryan.”

She stood on her tiptoes and leaned her chest against his. “Give me one night in your bed, and I’m sure I can change—”

His mother called out, “Are you two getting hungry for some lunch?”

Jo and Ryan were right beside his mom as they walked toward them up the wide aisle. Thank God they’d interrupted Linda’s lame seduction attempt. The last thing he’d do is sleep with her again.

Linda slowly leaned away, slowly enough for Jo to get an eyeful, most likely. “That sounds great, Mary.” Linda’s lips tilted into a naughty smile as she said in a whispery voice, “We’re starving.”

He turned his head in time to see Jo roll her eyes behind Linda’s back. When Jo reached him, she nestled her whole body against his and slipped her arms around his neck. In her best femme fatale voice, Jo said, “I’m famished too. For you, Chad.”

It took all he had not to laugh. But he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity she’d given him, so he laid his lips on hers and softly kissed her.

Heat shot straight to his gut. It made him want to plunder and take, but the way Jo’s body slowly relaxed against his as she snuggled closer and got fully into the kiss made him want to slow things down and enjoy her touch. To cherish her and show Jo it wasn’t just hormones that attracted them to one another. It was so much more.

When he finally ended the kiss and opened his eyes, they were alone in the cavernous barn. His mother must’ve moved Linda along so he and Jo could have a moment, even though his mom knew it was all a farce. She’d always loved Jo. Nothing would make her happier than if he and Jo worked things out.

“That was nice.” Jo softly sighed as a sweet smile lit her face. “But I really am starving. Can we eat now?”

“Fine.” He gave her rear end a sharp pat. “Way to kill a moment.”

Jo chuckled and slid her soft hand in his. “We were pretending.” She looked up at him and raised a brow. “Weren’t we?”

He slipped his hand from hers and moved ahead to open the sliding door for her. “Fool yourself all you want, Jo. I wasn’t pretending. And neither were you.”

She stopped in her tracks and blinked up at him. After a few attempts at a retort, she finally snapped her mouth shut and marched ahead of him toward the house.

He smiled at his victory. Jo speechless didn’t happen very often.

Maybe what Jo needed to convince her he’d changed wasn’t hot kisses. Maybe what she needed was a little gentle handling. Like a skittish horse who needed to be shown she could trust him not to hurt her again. Maybe he needed to call Shelby and ask her to set up another blind date for Jo. With him.

Smiling at his new plan, he hobbled up the porch steps, but when he reached out to open the front door, his hand stopped. What if he won her back? Then what? He’d never thought she’d forgive him so it could actually happen—until now.

But she’d never leave Denver and her café, and he’d never stay. He belonged in San Diego, playing football. It’d never work, dammit. Maybe just being friends with benefits again was going to have to be enough.



Mary’s chili and her warm-from-the-oven cornbread were the best. Jo contemplated getting seconds. She was justifying the extra calories when Linda looked up from the phone in her hand and said, “The East Coast is having weather issues too. Looks like my flight is canceled.” She smiled at Chad. “And that means now I can have a sleepover with my favorite guys.”

Jo’s appetite instantly disappeared.

Chad wiped his mouth on his napkin and shook his head. “Ryan’s nanny is in the guest room. We’ll find you a hotel.”

“Or I can share.” The look Linda sent Chad’s way was so hot it was a wonder they weren’t all singed by the heat.

Jo couldn’t stand another second of fake, gold-digging dialogue. She stood, grabbed an armload of dishes, and headed for the kitchen. Mary was loading the dishwasher, so Jo took the bowls to the sink and began rinsing them. She whispered, “I can’t figure out what Chad ever saw in Linda.”