Read In the Groove for Free Online

don't need to go to any trouble."
    "It's not trouble and there are some special features you'll need to be shown how to operate, but we can talk about that later. In the meantime, let's get you settled in your room."
    He saw her release a breath, the kind that was directed at a hank of hair. "I really don't want to impose."
    "Will she be imposing, Sal?"
    His business manager rolled his eyes. "In a house this big? I don't think so."
    "Stay," Lance said again, and when she still looked hesitant, he added, "If it makes you feel any better, I won't be here this evening. I have a Raceday interview in a couple hours. I won't be back 'til later. Sal's gonna keep an eye on you."
    "I am?" Sal said, bushy brows arching.
    "You are."
    "I still don't know...." she murmured.
    "Are you worried about Sal making a pass at you?"
    "No," she said, looking torn between amusement and horror.
    "Then stay."
    "It's too much to ask."
    "No, it's not. Look how easy it'll be. I think half your clothes are in the back of your car."
    She gave him a "You noticed that?" look that was part humiliation, part resignation.
    "Do you always travel around with half your clothes?" he teased, trying to set her at ease.
    She looked away, giving him her pretty profile. "Actually," he heard her mumble. "Those are all my clothes."
    "All?"
    She nodded. "The place I'm staying at. It's not exactly the best and so I keep my clothes in the car in case I need to make a quick exit."
    "You're kidding."
    "I'm not."
    "Then it's settled," he said quickly. "C'mon. I'll show you to your room. You can have your choice."
    And this time he didn't give her the opportunity to protest He just walked out of the room, resisting the urge to turn around and help her up. He'd let Sal do that. If he turned back to her he just knew she'd argue some more. Stubborn. He could tell that already.
    To his surprise she didn't argue. So he showed her upstairs, Sal acting like the concerned citizen by helping her up the sweeping staircase when, in fact, he was probably more concerned about her falling and slapping him with a second lawsuit. He showed her to the flower puff room, so dubbed by him because it was a total chick room. The decorator had let her inner estrogen fly, using roses and white chintz (or so she'd called it—looked like cotton to him) to create a room Martha Stewart would be proud of. Sarah looked a bit wide-eyed, Lance leaving her behind with firm instructions to take some of the painkillers Doc had left her and get some rest

    When he got back from his interview a few hours later Sarah's car had been towed, a rental car had been delivered, and Sarah Tingle herself was sound asleep, Lance noticed. He stood in the doorway, observing her for a moment, her fully clothed form sprawled out on the "chintz" bedspread. Sarah Tingle slept a lot like Lance suspected she lived, no holds barred and everything wide open—in this case, her mouth.
    She snored, lips parted, a strand of hair having been pulled into the black hole by the tractor beam of her breath.
    He stood there for a second listening to the discordant sound, a chuckle escaping him.
    "She's out," Sal said, coming up behind him.
    "Obviously she needed rest."
    They both stood there, another growl being let loose.
    "She snores," Sal observed.
    "Yeah. I don't think I've ever heard anyone snore quite like that."
    "Amazing."
    His business manager, tie loose around his dress shirt, jacket discarded, glanced at her and then back at him then back at Sarah Tingle again. "I still can't believe she had no idea who you were. I mean, when I interviewed her for the job she told me she didn't know anything about racing but I still thought she knew who you were."
    "And I still can't believe you pretended her car had been towed."
    "Got your best interests at heart, buddy."
    "Well, do me a favor and camp out here tonight. I don't want her freaking out thinking I'm going to molest her or something."
    "You think she'd think that?"
    "I think she doesn't