Drawn To You (Taking Chances #3) Read Online Free Page A

students began arriving at that moment, and Sam stepped away to greet them. After directing the children to sit down, she returned to Mrs. B. “Have a seat. I’m sure my sister would love some company when she wakes up.” She gestured to Melanie who was breathing deeply with her hands clasped on her stomach.
    “She’s got the right idea,” Mrs. Benson grinned and sat down. “Oh, speaking of company, I was talking to my neighbor Janice and telling her what a wonderful girl you are. She wants to stop by during Lucy’s party to meet you. Maybe bring her son over. He’s a law professor.”
    Sam chuckled. The twinkle in Mrs. Benson’s eyes was unmistakable. “I know where you’re going with this, Mrs. B., but I’m not looking for a relationship right now. I appreciate you watching out for me though.”
    “So, you are single. Good to know.”
    Nodding, Sam walked off. “Single and happy,” she called over her shoulder.
    As her sister had said, now was not the best time for a relationship. Especially not with a guy whose job was dependent on following the rules, which she had a knack for breaking.

THREE
    Lucas jogged across the street, his feet hitting the pavement with the rhythmic beat of a drum. A row of willow trees cast intermittent shadows on the sidewalk as he ran from one end of the block to the other. The area was quaint and close-knit, as evidenced by the neighborhood watch program signs posted on nearly every corner. It was the ideal place to raise a family, one of the reasons he had chosen to move here. He lived close enough to the Milpitas Police Department so he didn’t get stuck in traffic for hours, but far away enough that he could keep his job and home life separate.
    Coming to an intersection, he paused to check his watch, and picked up his pace. A night of tossing and turning had caused him to oversleep, a rare occurrence for him, but he had decided to stick to his morning routine. Now he had twenty minutes to run home and shower before the day’s events started.
    He couldn’t believe he’d gone out—thanks to his colleague’s badgering-on his first date in a decade. Last night had been easier than he’d anticipated, but not as pleasant. Oliver’s cousin was friendly enough, but their conversation had fizzled out after fifteen minutes, like the flares he used to create “safety zones” on the road. His heart hadn’t been in it. He had no problems opening doors or picking up the tab for a woman, but he was far from ready to pursue a relationship. That was to be expected, considering he had spent almost a whole decade with one woman.
    But Lauren was gone now.
    After six years of marriage, it was hard to be single again and even harder to force himself to move on. At least he had a job to distract himself with every day. And a family that gave him a reason to think about the future. Thank God for sparing him that much.
    He rounded the corner leading to his house and slowed down when he spotted an elderly couple walking their terrier. Passing the neighbors, he called out a greeting, and they waved back. When he was two houses away from his own, he noticed a red sedan parked in the driveway next to his silver SUV. The bright crimson shade called out for attention and reminded him of several vehicles he had pulled over that week. The stereotype rang true: people who liked the color red tended to drive recklessly. They were more aggressive, impulsive, and hot-headed.
    Just like the woman he pulled over yesterday.
    Strangely enough, running into Sammie Koo had been the highlight of his day. Their back and forth banter had given him such an adrenaline rush. He couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed so freely. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed adult conversation that didn’t center around cancer treatments or hospital bills.
    For a moment he hoped it was her car parked in front of his home. It was the same make and model as he remembered. It was the same license plate, too, except