The Drifter Read Online Free

The Drifter
Book: The Drifter Read Online Free
Author: Kate Hoffmann
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction - Romance, Romance - Contemporary, Romance - General, Romance: Modern
Pages:
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Charlie? Or would she have had this re action to any man? When he finally drew back, Eve opened her eyes and looked up to find a bemused smile twitching at his lips. “I was right,” he murmured. “It’s not finished, is it?”
    “What?”
    “I have to go,” Charlie said. “I’ll be back, though.”
    Eve gasped. Was this some kind of test? “When? A year from now? Five years? Don’t think you can just waltz in here and kiss me and—”
    He grabbed her around the waist and kissed her again, effectively stopping her outburst. “Later. Tonight. Right now, I have some important things to do.” With that, he turned and slipped out the door.
    Eve stared out into the kitchen. The staff was assembled around the prep table, watching her with curious gazes. “He’s an old friend,” Eve explained. “He just stopped by to say hello.” She rolled her eyes. “Just get back to work.”
    She hurried out of the walk-in and snatched up her jacket. As she slipped her arms through the starched white sleeves, Eve thought about all thathad happened in the past ten minutes. Her life had been right on track, everything in perfect order, and then, in the blink of an eye, it had all changed.
    If it hadn’t been her posting on the SmoothOperators Web site, what had brought him back to Boulder? Would it be foolish to think he came back just to see her? Eve shook her head and picked up her knife.
    What did it matter? Charlie Templeton wasn’t the type to want a traditional relationship—a marriage, a house, a family. No matter what transpired over the next few days, he’d be gone again and she’d be alone, left to carry on as if nothing happened.
    Eve set the knife down, pausing to let the notion sink in. Five years ago, she had looked upon that possibility as a negative. But now, Eve had to admit that it might just be exactly what she needed. A wild and exciting sexual affair with no strings attached.
    The possibility of falling in love again frightened her. She’d made two mistakes—falling for Charlie in the first place and deluding herself into believing that she loved Matt. Three strikes and she’d be out, unable to trust anyone for the rest of her life. If she fell in love again, it would have to be with a man who wouldn’t hurt her.
    Eve drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had tried so hard to avoid the mistakes that her parents had made with their marriage. Her father had cheated on her mother for as long as she could remember. And for almost as long, her mother had beenaware of what he’d been doing and had just looked the other way.
    Charlie had been the wrong choice. Matt had been the wrong choice. Until the right choice came along, she wasn’t going to risk her heart again. She paused. But what if she kept her heart out it? What if she indulged in a purely sexual relationship with Charlie?
    Eve smiled to herself. It was an option she ought to consider. Two years was far too long to go without sex. But great sex every six months might be exactly enough. “I have a lot of catching up to do,” she murmured to herself.
     
    C HARLIE GLANCED AT HIS WATCH , illuminating the face to see the numerals in the dark.
    “You keep looking at the time,” Jack said. “Do you have somewhere you need to be?”
    “Yeah,” he said. “I’ve got a…a date.”
    His old friend chuckled then shook his head. “You’ve been in town for less than twenty-four hours and you already have a date. Jeez, you move fast.”
    “It’s not like that,” Charlie said. “She’s an old friend. She runs a restaurant downtown and she finishes work at eleven. I’m going to stop by and invite her out for a drink.”
    After what had happened earlier that day, Charlie had decided to proceed slowly. Eve had made it clear that she still harbored a few grudges. And she hadevery right. He’d walked out of her life five years ago after an incredible month together, and then never called or wrote. On the other hand, she had decided to
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