Read To Win Her Love for Free Online

curves and just as alluring. Below exotic, violet blue eyes that cut straight to a man’s libido, her flawless skin, marred only by a small, sexy mole at the corner of her wide mouth, covered world class cheekbones that screamed patrician lineage.
    Hell, she even smelled expensive.
    The memory of her subtle perfume, tickling his senses like a beckoning finger tipped in glossy red, sent a rush of blood to pool in his lap. He shifted, uncomfortable, and cursed the stray dog gene he’d inherited from Pete. Christ, his life had taken a sharp right turn toward fucked-up-ville and here he was fantasizing about Pete Thompson’s sister-in-law.
    He cleared his throat and banished the image from his mind. “She claims to want custody, but how well is a trust fund party girl going to handle sudden motherhood?”
    Tom cast a glance at the empty glass in front of Jake. “As well as you’re handling discovering you’re not an only child?”
    “Fuck you.”
    White teeth flashed when Tom laughed.
    Jake shook his head. “My point is, the value of Pete’s estate is a heady incentive to meet his demands, but I imagine she’ll be singing a different tune when faced with the reality of day-to-day parenting. Women like her are used to a steady stream of admirers. Three months trapped on a rural farm in the middle of nowhere isn’t exactly a fertile dating field.”
    The idea made him frown. Three months. Ninety days in the sticks would be hell on a person’s sex life. He shifted his shoulders against the sudden itch crawling up his spine. Yet another reason to stay the hell away from that farm.
    “Are you worried about her or yourself?”
    He scowled at the direct hit. “Both.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “Hell, even if she isn’t the ideal guardian, at least the twins know her. But what if she bolts before the deadline? Then I am screwed.”
    “What if she doesn’t? Don’t underestimate the maternal instinct. It’s a powerful thing. Ask Sharon. This woman, this Gracie, may surprise you. For that matter, you may surprise yourself.”
    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “Kids have a way of growing on you.”
    Jake’s scornful laugh of dismissal brought the return of Tom’s annoying, knowing smile.
    “Go to the farm, Jake. Give the press a nice human-interest story, and they’ll forgive you almost anything. As for the twins and Gracie Gable…” He shrugged. “You have ninety days to figure things out.”
    * * * *
    Jake sprawled on the soft leather couch, his bare feet propped beside his laptop on the granite coffee table. Elbows winged out with his hands cradling his head, he stared at the view of Central Park beyond the glass wall of his Upper West Side condo. Fashioning an apology to the Gridiron Girl that didn’t come off as groveling hadn’t been pleasant, but at least it had kept his mind off the cluster fuck his life had become.
    He winced and crossed his feet at the ankles.
    Tom was right…not that Jake would admit it out loud. He wasn’t getting any younger, but he’d rather not contemplate retirement until he had to, and he refused to do so in the middle of a record-breaking season. Despite his off the field reputation, he gave everything he had to the game. His resulting stats from ten years in the league were nothing to laugh at, but he was the first to admit, he’d gotten lucky when the Marauders picked up his contract. Two years later, they’d fielded what many considered the best offensive line in decades. Thanks to the talent surrounding him, the touchdown record was within his grasp and he was on track for the hall of fame. No way was he going to blow it.
    Unfortunately, with the season at the halfway mark, anything could happen. In the blink of an eye, an injury, another controversial call, or a streak of bad luck like the one currently dogging him could snatch away everything he’d worked for. Taking his eye off the prize and uprooting his life to play nursemaid to a couple