Read Hard Charger: Jake & Sophia: A Hot Contemporary Romance for Free Online

His lips twisted with regret.  “I thought she’d be better off without me in her life.”
    “Sophia’s doing well now.  And I want her to stay that way.”
    “I get it.  I really do.”  Jake paused a few seconds, and then asked the one question that had really been bugging him.  “Did she find anyone else?”
    “She’s had boyfriends.  Came close to marrying one.  That ended badly.  There’s someone else in her life now, though.  He’s steady, smart, and good for her.  I don’t want you to fuck that up.”
    The waitress came over then, with a fresh whiskey for Jake, and a beer for Alex.  They thanked her, and then Jake faced Alex once more.  “Sophia’s special to me,” he said.  “Not only is she your little sister, she’s like family.  I’m not going to fuck up her life.”
    “That’s all I can ask.”  Alex smiled.
    Jake looked down into his drink.  The conversation had left him feeling like shit.  It bugged him that Alex was so sure he’d fuck up any relationship with Sophia. 
    The bar had started emptying out by then.  He and Alex talked about work the next day and agreed to ride together tomorrow night.  As they were talking, the pool-playing girls were laughing and poking each other playfully with their cue sticks.  They were still shooting quick glances toward him and Alex.  His lips twitching with a smile, Jake realized that the show the girls were putting on was just for them.
    Alex lifted an eyebrow.  “Seems like they’re looking for some good ole fun.  Maybe we should challenge them to a game, before Rowdy Ray kicks us out.”
    “See how they’re dressed?” Jake murmured.  “Mini-skirts, net stockings, high heels...yeah, they’re hot, but what if they’re professionals?”
    Alex grinned.  “Let’s go find out.”
    They grabbed their drinks, stood up, and eyed the girls for a moment. 
    “Got a preference?”  Alex asked.
    Jake looked them over.  Both had long, dark silky hair.  One was a blonde, and the other a brunette.  They were wearing makeup, but not too much, and both looked somewhat fresh despite the late hour.  He had a sudden vision of the blonde, her skirt jammed up around her waist as she bent over the pool table for him.  “The blonde,” he said.
    “Fine.  I’ll go for the brunette.”  Alex sauntered over to the two girls, with Jake right behind him.  “Hey ladies, you want to play a partners game?”
    “Sure,” the blonde said with a smile.  “We’ve been waiting for you guys to come over.”
    Jake heard a slight lilt to her voice, a hint of a Slavic accent.  “What’s your name?”
    “Staci,” the blonde replied.  “This is Elena.”
    The brunette nodded her head.
    Alex leaned back against a post by the pool table.  “Staci and Elena.  Don’t think we’ve met.  I’m Alex, and this is Jake.”
    The two girls said hello, and then they exchanged small talk long enough for Jake to discover that they were exchange students in their last undergraduate year at Rowan University.  As promised, Alex focused his attention on Elena, leaving Staci to Jake. 
    “So, what are you drinking, Staci?” Jake asked, as he signaled the waitress to come over.
    “Vodka,” she replied.  “On the rocks.”
    The waitress paused nearby and, after informing them that the bar would be closing shortly, took everyone’s final drink orders.  They each picked up a pool cue and quickly decided that the teams would be Jake and Staci against Alex and Elena.
    “What are we playing?” Alex asked.
    Elena gave him a flirtatious look from beneath her eyelashes.  “How about a game of Eight Ball?”
    “Sounds good.”  Alex racked the balls in a triangle, placing the black eight ball in the center of the other balls, then invited Elena to do a break shot.  She grasped her cue stick and tapped it weakly against the white ball, sending it into the racked triangle.   The racked balls gently stuttered apart.
    Staci laughed.  “Nice