Kayla Perrin - Playing With Fire

It’s time to play the players

Zienna Thomas has finally found a man with forever potential: Nicholas Aubry is charming, successful, easy on the eyes and tender in bed. Everything is great...until Nicholas introduces his longtime friend Wendell Creighton. Zienna already knows Wendell—every luscious inch of him. Once upon a time she’d thought Wendell was The One, but though they burned up the sheets together, he balked at a real commitment.

Now Wendell is back on the scene, eyeing Zienna as if she’s a cool drink on a blistering day...and she’s feeling the heat, too. Soon Zienna is part of a torrid triangle, wondering which to choose: sweet, soul-satisfying Nicholas or scorching, sexy Wendell. But a wicked part of her wonders, Can’t I have both?

The naughty thrill of keeping two lovers in the dark and in her bed is powerful stuff. But Zienna knows she’s playing a dangerous game—just how dangerous remains to be seen, because when the truth comes out and the testosterone-fueled rivalry threatens to explode, someone is going to get burned....

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

1

“Wow, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You’re blowing me off tonight—for a man?”

Zienna Thomas heard a smile in her friend Alexis’s voice, which made her feel a lot less guilty for canceling their dinner plans last minute.

“I know, and I’m sorry.” Not since she was in her twenties had Zienna canceled on a friend for a guy. “It’s just that Nicholas said he really needed to see me tonight. I’m on my way there now. Something about how he created the best new dish for his restaurant and he wants me to try it before he loses his inspiration. You know Nicholas. When he gets excited, he’s like a dog with a bone. I couldn’t tell him no.”

“Maybe not, but you could tell him that your best friend has taste buds, too....”

“I could have,” Zienna agreed. “But he’s at the new restaurant, testing out the facilities before the grand opening, and he’s sensitive about only one person trying—”

“I’m just giving you a hard time,” Alexis interrupted her. “I know how Nicholas is. If he wants only you to sample something, he’ll be mad if I show up wanting a plate.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” A soft smile touched Zienna’s lips as she thought of Nicholas’s quirks. He was set in his ways when it came to how he did business, and in the five months she had been dating him, he had deemed her his food tester. And he wanted only one person to give him an unbiased opinion on his creations before presenting them to the public.

“Plus,” Zienna went on, “I kind of get the sense...” Her voice trailed off. The thought that had occurred to her suddenly seemed foolish.

“Sense that what?” Alexis prompted.

“I don’t know. Kind of the way he was stressing that I had to meet him tonight, that tomorrow wouldn’t do... He mentioned a few days ago that a best friend of his was coming back to town. I’m not sure why, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants me to meet him tonight.”

“Wow, so this is really getting serious,” Alexis all but sang.

“I don’t know.” Zienna’s stomach tickled at the thought. “Maybe. But if his friend does drop by, it’s not like he’s introducing me to his parents or anything.”

“But a best friend—that’s just as critical. He obviously likes you.”

Zienna’s heart swelled. “I know. And I like him, too.”

“I did good, didn’t I?” Alexis asked, and Zienna could picture the huge smile on her face.

“Yes, you did good.” It was Alexis who’d met Nicholas at his restaurant, and struck up a conversation with him with the sole purpose of introducing him to Zienna. “Things are going better than I ever expected.”

“Go have fun with your man. I won’t hold it against you that you’re blowing me off. Don’t worry about me, wasting away on my sofa....”

“Look at the bright side. You can finally catch up on the latest season of Criminal Minds that you’ve got stored on your PVR.”

“Ouch. No sympathy at all.”

“There are worse ways to spend an evening than watching Shemar Moore.”

“This is true. Now if only I could get him to come to Chicago, help me nurse my broken heart.”

Zienna didn’t bother to comment as she maneuvered her car into the parking lot of Reflections on the Bay, the restaurant her boyfriend was about to launch. Alexis’s own relationship of two years had recently ended, but she was the one who’d crushed Elliott’s heart by calling off their short engagement. According to Alexis, Elliott was a great guy, but something vital was missing from their relationship. Getting engaged had made her realize that she couldn’t settle for a guy who was only good enough.

“Look, Alex, I just got to the restaurant. So I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Sure,” Alexis replied. Then, hurriedly, “Hey, if Nicholas’s friend does show up and he’s sexy, give him my number.”

“Whatever.” Zienna laughed. “You’re supposed to be wasting away on the sofa, remember?”

“Actually, you’re supposed to be encouraging me to jump into bed with a random stranger so that I get over Elliott.”

“Talk to you, Alex,” Zienna said.

“Fill me in later!”

Zienna ended the call and shook her head. Alexis had always been talking about finding someone new—even before she’d finally dumped Elliott. Someone who didn’t know her might wonder what more she could want in a guy. She’d been in a serious relationship for two years, and unlike a lot of other women involved with men that long, she had secured an engagement ring. But once she’d gotten engaged, she had done a one-eighty with her emotions, saying that Elliott was too safe, too predictable...and for that reason, ultimately boring. And the last thing Alexis wanted was to marry a guy who didn’t excite her.

While Zienna didn’t necessarily agree that her friend should have dumped Elliott, she understood only too well her sentiments. Zienna had once been crazy about a guy who was sexy as hell, with an edge that never failed to electrify her. But Wendell didn’t want to get married—ever—and had moved away four years ago. Since then, Zienna had come to realize that part of the thrill with him had been the chase. The way he’d kept her on her toes by never completely giving her his heart.

She had had to work for his time and affection, which had been exhilarating and fun. And the prize—superhot sex—had always been worth her efforts. The men she’d dated after Wendell had been dull and hadn’t challenged her. Not to mention that they couldn’t compare in the bedroom.