Bargain in Bronze by Natalie Anderson Page A

On not wanting commitment?”
    He ignored her sarcastic tone and weighed the question seriously. “I think most men who don’t want commitment have serious reasons for not wanting it.”
    She folded her arms across her chest. “Such as?”
    “Fear. Bad experience. So they don’t want to be hurt or betrayed again.”
    Libby’s curiosity soared. Had anyone betrayed him? She couldn’t imagine any woman being so stupid. “Maybe it’s just that they can get it easily from any number of women so why should they just settle for one?” That was way more likely in his case.
    “I don’t think there are many men who actually want that for long. Casual isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
    That shocked her—he was a no commitment guy wasn’t he? “What is it that stops you from the c-word?”
    “Inconvenience,” he answered bluntly. “This isn’t the right time in my life. I’ve still got too much else I need to do for my business and for the family I have.”
    She’d been right. “So it’s not that some woman once minced your heart with her stilettos?”
    He chuckled. “No. There hasn’t been a girlfriend who meant that much to me.”
    Oh. She frowned. The guy was twenty-nine and he’d never had a serious girlfriend?
    She pulled the muesli from the oven—perfectly toasted. She stirred the hazelnuts through—picking up a spare that had fallen on the bench and tossing it up to catch it in her mouth.
    “What other circus skills you got?” Jack purred. “Trapeze?”
    She glanced at him standing so close and so determinedly tempting that an imp took over her mouth. “You want to know if I can do the splits three ways?”
    “I—” The stunned look he threw her was so worth it.
    She smirked, but the blush fired her cheeks at the same time.
    “I’m thinking maybe you’re more clown than contortionist,” he muttered.
    Amusement bubbled. It had been surprisingly easy to fluster him.
    He spun, pinning her back against the counter—putting one hand either side of her so she couldn’t escape. He leaned towards her—his chest a tantalizing millimeter from her own. Her nipples screamed in need.
    “If you’re going to wind me up, you better be prepared for payback.”
    She hardly heard him she was so distracted, watching his mouth and remembering the soft-but-firm touch he’d used on her.
    “You’re going to wind me up?” Fact was he already had. Her breathlessness pretty much gave it away.
    “Tight,” he promised. Or perhaps it was more of a threat.
    Either way Libby was bowled. She rested her weight against the counter as heat exploded deep in her belly. Her muscles clenched, ready to grip, while other parts melted. With just one word ?
    She breathed slow and deep trying to contain her extreme sexual response. But she couldn’t. Instead she tried to minimize the meaning of it. She’d been without sex for a while—a long, long while. And from the tips of his black eyelashes to his long, muscular legs, Jack was gorgeous. Pure, prime male—every inch of him screamed stellar sex.
    He didn’t want a relationship. Too inconvenient. Libby wasn’t the kind of girl to think she could change a man. Besides, she wouldn’t want to. Because she was keeping herself safe—no relationships. Nothing that could lead to marriage and kids. At least there was no fear of that with Jack.
    There was just their incredible chemistry.
    Her reaction to that kiss the other day? Maybe she needn’t have been so spooked. It must have been so intense since it had been a while. It wasn’t anything other than sex.
    So, could she handle a fling? Or was she really going to spend the rest of her life celibate?
    At this moment that didn’t sound like any fun.
    Their eyes met—a long, hot moment passed. Libby didn’t want to move.
    “Have you had dinner?” He pressed his hips against hers.
    Sweet mercy, “dinner” felt like it might be a seven-course feast. She shook her head, heart pounding. Hell, she’d never been so