Breaking the Rules Read Online Free Page A

a slice for himself. “Yeah, she’s nice.”
    â€œYou two should, like, go out.”
    Colin froze, holding the pizza server in mid-air. “What did you say?”
    â€œShe’s kind of cool, and I guess she’s pretty.” He shrugged.
    Colin shook his head and laughed. “Yep. You definitely take after me.” He bit into his pizza. His son was right. She was gorgeous, in a way she didn’t even know, and caring. Her interest in Jason turned him on even more. Besides, if his son was okay with him dating, then he should really try to get back in the game. It had been a few months since he took a woman out, and Hope’s charm interested him more than any woman had in a long time.
    He sighed and tried to take his mind elsewhere. He couldn’t think this about a patient. Well, technically, she was Rajan’s patient. Still, he shouldn’t let his mind wander … to that cute little …
ahem.
    Hope began to sit down next to Jason, but he stopped her. “Ms. Robinson, would you mind sitting next to my dad? I mean, I’ll be playing again and I don’t want to keep asking you to get up.”
    â€œUh, sure.” She eyed Colin, who shrugged, and sat down next to him with her plate full of salad.
    Colin eyed Jason, who just smiled down at his food.
Little matchmaker.
    He took a bite of his pizza and looked next to him, raising his eyebrows. Watching Hope could be a sport.
    She opened her napkin roll, sat the utensils next to her plate — fork on one side, knife on the other — moving them to exact locations. She wiped a wet spot above her plate and replaced her iced tea on top. Then she opened the napkin and spread it across her lap. She looked up and asked, “What?”
    Colin shook his head. “Nothing. Just never seen anyone prepare to eat like that.”
    â€œWell, I’ve never seen anyone eat like that.” She pointed to Jason who finished his first slice in three bites.
    Colin frowned. “Slow down, Jason. I don’t want to have to go back to the hospital because you choked on pizza.” Colin lifted his own slice. “Pre-teens.”
    She smiled. “Yes, I know. You forget I’m a middle school principal.”
    Jason slurped down his Coke and looked at his dad. “Can I go play again?”
    â€œYou just sat down.”
    Jason was halfway out of the booth. “Yeah, but I totally want to get first place on the other racing game in the corner.”
    â€œAll right. Ten more minutes.”
    Jason ran off.
    Hope laughed. “He sure knows what he wants.”
    â€œIf you only knew.” As she placed a piece of iceberg lettuce into her mouth, Colin smiled.
What would she do if I told her what Jason suggested?
Only one way to find out. He rested his arm against the back of the booth and observed her. “Jason just informed me that we should date.”
    â€œWhat?” She held her salad fork out in shock; a cherry tomato tumbled off the prongs and down the front of her. “Oh!” She shook her head and began to wipe her shirt off, dropping her fork into her lap in the process.
    â€œWait, let me get another napkin.” Colin unrolled the extra napkin ring next to him. He wiped, pressing into her shirt, and rubbed the white salad dressing into the black fabric. He twirled the napkin around his finger and dabbed at her some more. When he saw her red face, he stopped.
    They stared at each other before they both howled with laughter. After calming down, she quirked an eyebrow, then looked down at her shirt. “Well what are you laughing at? You’re not the one who’s covered in salad dressing.”
    â€œYeah, but we just got to second base before we even went on a date.”
    She raised her eyebrows and then snorted laughter. “Are you on medication, doctor? If that’s your second base, then you haven’t seen anything yet.”
    â€œWhoa, it’s hot in here.” He