Cinderella and the Playboy by Lois Faye Dyer Page B

giving way to outrage on his behalf.
    “I’m sure that was the motive.” He shrugged, his mouth curving into a wry smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
    “Has this happened before?” Jennifer asked, struck by his calmness.
    “Not with a paternity suit.” His dark gaze was unreadable. “I have a good income from my medical career, Jennifer, but my parents are…fairly well-off, too. Over the years, several people have tried various schemes to extract money from us.” He shook his head. “We’ve never given in.”
    Appalled, Jennifer couldn’t speak for a moment. “Have you ever been hurt?” she asked, horrified images of television reports of kidnappings and robberies flashing in her brain.
    “No.” He shook his head again. “Never—theattempts have involved what police might refer to as white-collar crime, always civil law actions.”
    “That’s terrible.” She had no experience to compare with this. Jennifer couldn’t imagine dealing with criminal or civil greed targeting her.
    “Mostly it’s just annoying,” he told her. “The family has excellent attorneys and I’ve learned to let them handle these situations.” He squeezed her hands. “It does no good to worry over it—and in the meantime,” he continued, “life goes on.” He leaned back and shoved one hand into his jeans pocket.
    “I’ve wanted to return this to you all week,” he told her, holding out his hand. A delicate silver chain dangled from his hand, a silver locket suspended over his palm.
    “My locket!” Jennifer exclaimed with pleasure. “Where did you find it?” She took the pretty necklace from his outstretched hand and fastened it around her neck.
    “Butch found it.” He dropped his voice to a deep murmur. “In my bed.”
    Her gaze flew to his and she felt her cheeks heat. She couldn’t look away, memories swirling as his deep chocolate eyes turned hot.
    “I, um…” She faltered, drawing a deep breath.
    “I want to see you again, Jennifer.”
    “You are seeing me,” she noted.
    “I mean outside the diner. I know we had an agreement,” he said. “But one night wasn’t enough. If anything, all it did was convince me that we should see each other again.”
    Jennifer badly wanted to say yes but she was torn. She’d vowed before Annie was born that she wouldn’t expose her daughter to a succession of men friends. At least, not until she knew the relationship was serious. And she had no clue whether Chance contemplated a future. Given his history with women, she doubted it.
    Not to mention that she had so little free time between her job at the diner, caring for Annie and her college classes.
    Still, she’d discovered during the night she’d spent with Chance that he was more complicated, more complex, more loving and certainly more fun than she’d expected.
    She wanted to know him better. But how to do that without breaking her commitments to Annie, work and school?
    “I have a class tonight that I can’t skip,” she said slowly. “But I can meet you for coffee afterward, if you’d like?”
    “I’d like,” he agreed promptly.
    They arranged to meet outside the campus library after her class and Chance said goodbye.
    “Did he tell you about the paternity suit?” Linda asked when Jennifer relieved her behind the counter.
    “Yes, there were blood tests and they proved he’s not the father.” Jennifer walked the length of the counter, pouring coffee into customers’ cups and exchanging hellos with her regulars before returning to the center section where Linda waited. “We’re meeting for coffee after my class tonight.”
    “Yes!” Linda crowed, her smile wide. “That’s terrific, Jennifer.”
    “I’m not sure if it is or isn’t, but I know I want to see him again.”
    “Trust me,” Linda said firmly. “You and the doc are great together. Dating him is going to be soooo good for you.”
    “Who’s dating?” Shirley asked as she and Yolanda joined them.
    “I’m meeting Chance