Somebody's Lover by Jasmine Haynes Page A

too risky.”
    “Sometimes the risk can be worth
it.” When she didn’t respond to his underlying message, he cupped her breasts.
He worked her back and front, rubbing her nipples until they hardened against
his fingers, and pressing into her bottom, letting her feel how damn hard he
was. For her.
    Outside on the basketball court,
there were shouts of triumph and squeals of laughter.
    “Or,” he murmured, “I could put my
hand in your shorts and make you come right here.”
    She elbowed him back, then rounded,
holding the knife in front of her. “Back off, bud. Or I’ll have to slice up
your little banana.”
    “Little?” God, he wanted her, that
smile, her laughter against his lips, her body in his hands.
    “Very little.”
    He held up his hands. “I’m wounded
immensely.”
    She jabbed with the knife. “Back
three more steps or you’re in big trouble, buster.”
    He backed up until his butt hit the
kitchen table. “Playing with a knife is dangerous.”
    “I’m not playing.” She feinted once
more, her eyes sparkling.
    If he could get her to go back to
his room with him...
    “What the hell?” David slammed the
kitchen screen door behind him.
    “He refused to load the
dishwasher,” Taylor said, recovering quickly, but her eyes had gone wide, and
Jace read her thoughts. Almost busted.
    Part of him wanted David to have
caught him fondling Taylor’s breasts and ass. At least they’d be out in the
open then, and Taylor would have to make a decision.
    He might have gotten her to agree
that it wasn’t over between them, but acknowledge their relationship out loud?
It was too soon. At this point, he was sure she wouldn’t make the choice he
wanted.
    “Loading the dishwasher is woman’s
work. I cooked the hamburgers. Tell her, David.”
    A tick of silence. David had
forgotten how to tease. He’d forgotten how to smile. Then, surprisingly, he
said, “I cooked the burgers. You just watched. Better load the dishwasher,
buddy, or she might cut off the family jewels. Women can be sensitive about
things like that.”
    Jace looked at him. Damn. His
brother had made a joke.
    Taylor pointed the knife at David.
“Dad cooked the burgers. You have to load the dishwasher while Jace gets the
rest of the dirty dishes.”
    The door opened again, this time it
was his mom.
    “Mom,” David said plaintively.
“Taylor’s trying to make us do the dishes. Tell her we cooked. It’s a rule we
don’t have to clean up if we cook.”
    Taylor’s lips twitched. Mom’s
didn’t. She was good at playing possum and hiding expressions when she wanted
to.
    “Finish the salad, Taylor. Both of
you boys get the rest of the dishes, and I’ll load the dishwasher. Men suck at
loading.”
    David laughed. Everyone looked at
him, but he didn’t seem to notice anything was different. “You can’t say suck ,
Mom. That’s a bad word.”
    “Suck. There, I said it again. I’m
the mom, and I can say anything I want.” Then she flapped her hands and moved
aside. “Now get on with you two.”
    David pushed Jace out the door
ahead of him. “See what you got me into, asswipe.”
    “ Asswipe’s a bad word. I’m
telling Mom.”
    “Not if I beat the crap out of you
first.”
    Damn. They hadn’t had fun like this
in three fricking years. Taylor was good for him. She was good for all of them.
    Everything was going to work out.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Merciful heavens, this was awful.
    Should she talk to Jace, ask him
what was going on? Evelyn never interfered in her sons’ lives. If Connie came
running with some nitpick about Mitch, Evelyn remained neutral. She wouldn’t
choose her daughter-in-law’s side against her son, but she wasn’t about to do
it in reverse either.
    What would she say to Jace anyway? Are
you making a mistake? Is she going to hurt you? Are you going to hurt her? Are
you in love with her, or is this some meaningless fling?
    Can you ever mean more to her
than Lou did?
    No. She couldn’t ask any of her
questions. The