Read The Ace for Free Online Page A

crossed over to her, his long legs eating up the space in four steps, and enveloped her into another big bear hug. “It’s okay, Karen. I’m here now so you can stop worrying.”
    She fought back a smile as she shoved him away, even though she would have loved nothing more than to stay in his strong arms, pressing against his warm, solid chest. She’d admired him for so long that it was a little weird to be so up close with the real deal, and she didn’t want him to know how much she actually liked it. “Get off me, you big oaf.”
    He laughed as he turned back to Chase and Maddie with his arm still around her. “It’s okay, guys. She’s just embarrassed to show her excitement in front of an audience, but, believe me, she’s ecstatic to see me.”
    Maddie laughed as she headed to the kitchen. “Come on back. Let’s sit outside since the weather is finally warming up around here.”
    With a beer in hand, Jerry sat down at the patio table with a long sigh of contentment and reached up as Karen walked by to pull her down into the seat next to him. “What’s up, Aunt Karen? It’s been so long since I saw you last.”
    “I just saw you like two weeks ago,” she replied.
    “Like I said, that’s like forever,” he said with a teasing smirk. “What have you been doing?”
    Maddie raised an encouraging eyebrow at Karen before sitting down at the table, but Karen ignored her as she shrugged and took a drink of her wine. “Just working.”
    “Working? You work?”
    Karen turned toward him and scowled. “Yes, you ass, I work.” She didn’t care who she was talking to, her personality didn’t change for anyone. Not even for her favorite ballplayer, who made her heart stumble around her chest and her palms sweat. “Why wouldn’t I work?”
    “I thought you just hung out here all day with Maddie doing your nails or whatever.” Jerry ducked out of her reach and laughed, a dimple in his right cheek making a quick appearance when she tried to punch his arm. “Well, if that isn’t true, then what do you do?”
    “I’m a real estate agent.”
    He stopped mid-reach toward the beer on the table in front of him. “Real estate agent? Like in houses?”
    “Yes, like in houses.”
    “Tell him about your latest client,” Maddie said. “He’s a real winner.”
    “Oh, the toilet guy?” At Maddie’s nod, she snickered and told them how she’d caught him studying the inside of a toilet.
    Jerry laughed, but then frowned. “Do you get a lot of weirdos like that?”
    Karen thought back on all of her clients recalling a few that could definitely fall into that category. “Sometimes, not a lot though. Comes with the territory, unfortunately.”
    “And you go to these houses with them by yourself?”
    “Yes. Why? Do you want to be my bodyguard?” she asked, a teasing glint shining in her eyes.
    “It just seems like it would be a little dangerous for a single woman. You just never know...” he broke off and took a deep drink of his beer, trying to cover up the sudden awkwardness.
    She stared at him for a second, her blue eyes sparkling with humor, before giving him a big grin. “Aww! Smutty’s worried about me!”
    He grinned at her use of his nickname. “Someone’s got to watch out for your ass. One of these days your mouth is going to get you in trouble.”
    Maddie laughed. “I believe that’s already happened. More than once actually.”
    “Really? I’d like to hear those stories,” he said.
    “No, you don’t,” Karen said quickly as she turned away, putting the subject to rest. Everyone smiled as they imagined exactly the kind of trouble her mouth could get her into.
    She caught Jerry’s eye. “What are you smiling at?”
    “You’re a funny woman,” he said as he eyed her with what looked like interest.
    She wasn’t sure how to take that, unsure if it was a compliment or some backward slam against her personality. Either way, coming from her favorite Rockets player, it sounded good.
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