Perfect Specimen Read Online Free Page B

club,” he told himself as he opened the freezer and selected a package marked Turkey and Stuffing w/gravy and mashed potatoes.
    His heart might be broken, but at least his stomach was in for a treat.
     
    * * * *
     
    “This is just great,” Mark Ryerson said in good-natured complaint when he walked into the kitchen to find Clay feasting. “I rush over here because I think you’re dying or something, and I find you stuffing your face. With stuffing no less.”
    Clay laughed. “Pull up a chair. I warmed one up for you too. And it’s great. But if you don’t want yours—”
    “Say no more.” Mark took a seat across from his younger brother and gave him a pained smile. “So? She dumped you?”
    Clay scowled. “How did you know? And since when did you even know I was dating?”
    “I was there, remember?” Mark peeled back the foil from his homemade turkey dinner and dug in. “Man, this smells good.”
    “That’s right.” Clay nodded. “You were there. That night in the bar. You and Josh—”
    “And Randy too. You were our hero the way you picked up that sexy-assed blonde.”
    “She has a name,” Clay warned him, adding glumly, “ And a husband.”
    Mark stopped eating. “She just told you now? That’s rough.”
    “Yeah. So . . . ?” Clay cleared his throat. “What do you think?”
    “It’ll take a while to get over it.”
    “That’s your brilliant advice?” Clay scowled. “I forgot that you’ve actually seen her. How did she strike you?”
    “Hot.”
    Clay scowled again. “I know I’m not a paying customer, but doesn’t family count for something? What did you think of her? Vulnerable, right? Innocent. Maybe battered by her asshole of a husband?”
    Mark grinned. “The rest of us were watching a playoff game. A great playoff game. You were the only one staring at her. But I did notice that she had great legs. And that you were gawking. Then you scored right around the same time the Lakers did. Sorry if I missed some details.” He patted Clay’s arm. “If it makes you feel any better, landing her—even for one night—was quite a coup. I was sure she’d shoot you down.”
    “She would have. But she was waiting for a blind date, and she mistook me for him.”
    When Mark quirked an eyebrow, Clay laughed. “I saw her lean over the bar and say something to the bartender before she went to the restroom. So I asked him what she said, and it was something like, ‘If someone comes in looking for Sara, tell him I’ll be right back.’ So when she came back, I walked up to her and called her Sara. The rest is history. In more ways than one.”
    “And since none of us has heard from you lately, we figured you were pursuing her.” The psychologist gave him a sympathetic smile. “Let me guess. You’ve been spending a ton of money on her, but she wouldn’t put out. She led you on, then when you finally insisted on moving things to the next level, she told you about the husband. Right?”
    “That settles it. You’re officially the worst shrink ever.” When Mark seemed surprised, he explained. “You couldn’t be more wrong. She was all over me from the start. Just wanted sex. No meals, no flowers, no talking, no jewelry. It was great for a while, then I started wanting more. That’s when she told me about the husband and kids.”
    “Kids too?” Mark frowned. “Sounds like you had a narrow escape. What kind of skank does that?”
    “Wrong again. She’s unbelievably sweet.”
    The older brother’s tone grew stern. “I don’t care if she’s Mother Teresa. There are kids involved. End of story.”
    “It gets worse,” Clay assured him. “She lured me into a life of crime.”
    “What?”
    Chuckling at the stunned reaction, Clay told his brother about the diary. “I swear I never really intended to read it. But for that one instant, I thought it might explain why she was resisting me, when it was so obvious we were perfect for each other. Then I got so mad, I forgot the damned