Still Fine at Forty Read Online Free Page A

do something worth being sorry about. “I’m not going to be able to make it to the Jeep ride this morning.”
    “But you’re the one who booked it,” I moaned. I didn’t even want to go on the ridiculous Jeep ride. She’s the one who talked me into it.
    “I know,” she said. “But I just can’t make it. You’ll have to go without me.”
    “But I don’t want to go without you. I don’t really want to go at all.”
    Then it hit me. The older guy at the bar last night. They had a moment.
    “You little slut,” I said playfully.
    “You won’t love me any other way,” she said.
    “Will I see you for lunch?”
    “The Jeep tour includes a picnic lunch. But I’ll see you for dinner. I’ve already got reservations. Have fun!” And with that, she was gone.
    I thought about me alone with some Jeep tour guide on a picnic. Ugh. He was probably older, balding, with a paunch. And probably married. That would be just my luck. It’s only one day, I told myself. Surely, it won’t be that bad.
     
    ***
     
    I stood in the circular drive right outside the hotel waiting for the Jeep guy to arrive. Mel told me his name was Cody. What kind of name was that, anyway? I imagined some kind of cowboy. Not something I ever found remotely attractive.
    I was starting to get a little nervous. I had never actually ri dden in a Jeep before. My ex thought vehicles like that were dangerous. He was probably right. What was I doing here? The things I let Mel talk me into.
    A few minutes later, a black Jeep pulled up next to me. On the side of it in gold lettering were the words Jim Miller Jeep Tours. A young man hopped out of the driver’s side and walked up to me.
    He was tall, about six feet, and had wonderful wavy brown hair bleached slightly by the sun. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes.
    When he came to a stop in front of me, he crossed his mu scular arms over his chest. When I glanced up, I thought I saw the sides of his mouth curl into a slight grin.
    “Waiting for a tour?” he asked, still looking down at me.
    With his arms crossed, the black tee shirt he was wearing drew tightly across his broad shoulders. As I glanced down, I noticed he was wearing slightly faded but nicely fitting black jeans. Very nicely fitting. Wow, I thought. How was I going to spend an entire day with this guy? He exuded pure masculinity and sexuality. I could barely take standing next to him. He made me extremely nervous. Or maybe I was getting turned on? It had been so long since my “on” button was flipped, I had forgotten what it felt like.
    “Are you Mel?” he asked trying to draw my attention away from his—jeans.
    I looked up, now a bit embarrassed. “No, Mel can’t make it. It’s just me today.”
    “Okay,” he said. “She prepaid for two.”
    “Don’t worry. She knows she’ll lose the extra fee she paid.”
    He was still looking down at me. “Do I look worried?” I wished he wasn’t wearing those damn sunglasses because I couldn’t read his eyes.
    I tried to speak, but no words came out. What was wrong with me? This man, this very young, absolutely gorgeous and incredibly sexy man, left me, an English teacher, without words.
    I shook my head.
    He held out a hand. “I’m Cody Miller,” he said.
    I took his hand and there was a palpable energy exchange b etween us. A shiver ran down my spine. We held each other’s grip a bit too long.
    “Jennifer Ellis,” I said, then quickly removed my hand from his. 
    His expression changed very slightly and I swore he glanced down at my left hand. Was he trying to figure out if I was wearing a wedding ring? That’s ridiculous, I thought. Why would this gorgeous and very young man care if I was married? I was…forty.
    He had a strange look on his face. It was as if he was trying to figure something out. I pointed to the name on the side of the Jeep. “Any relation to Jim Miller?” I asked.
    “You could say that,” he replied. 
    As he turned, I couldn’t help but look at his