quite a reputation amongst the ladies.”
“Not in a good way, I hope.”
She returned his grin. “Don’t worry. You’re status as the man most likely not to get hitched appears safe and secure.”
“Glad to hear it. What about you? Your reputation. You’ve not been here long enough for me to hear any of those stories from the guys around town, so I need to get my information from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”
“I’m not the hitching type either. I was in a long-term relationship and it put me off the rest-of-your-life stuff for good.”
It hadn’t been as hard as she’d expected to finally tell the truth of it. She had planned not to reveal any information about her past with Justin, but Nathan really did have a way. Which was incredibly surprising. She’d resisted the attempts made by Talia and Naomi to get details from her about her past, and here she was telling Nathan like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Is that why you’re here? Fresh start?”
Okay. She wasn’t ready to reveal any more details that might demand further explanation. “I think most people like a fresh start after a relationship that didn’t work out. Mine just happened to coincide with wanting to do the research I mentioned before. It seemed like the perfect time to make the break.”
He eyed her for long moments in that way he had of making her feel he knew too much about her already, or that he fully intended to find out.
Thankfully, the speeches were announced, diverting Nathan’s attention to his groomsman duties.
Erin watched him as he gave an eloquent, witty and sometimes close-to-the-mark speech about the bridegroom. Their longtime friendship and obvious affection was evident in every word he uttered, and Erin felt a pang of envy and regret for the friendship she’d left behind when she’d run. Not that she and Kay would ever lose touch, but it was hard not to have her on hand for a hug and to share a glass of wine at the end of a shitty day. Erin glanced across at Naomi, and Talia, already mourning the loss of these budding friendships. She couldn’t stay in Bodmin long. She wondered if there would come a day when she would feel able to put down roots somewhere and have a normal life again.
Something Nathan said brought a huge laugh from the guests and snapped Erin’s attention back to the moment, and to Nathan. Hell, but he looked so stunningly gorgeous standing there in his dark gray suit, the collar of his white shirt juxtaposed with a thick, tanned neck, above which a solid jaw gave structure to a strong face.
But it was his eyes that gave her a jolt, every single time his dark green gaze met hers. As it did now. It heated her body, burning through every cell, every nerve ending, and made her head swim a little.
She tried to look away, but there was something so incredibly compelling about him, so elemental. He continued to talk to the room, but his attention was focused on her. The pull of his gaze shot to her breasts, making her nipples tighten and bud, before arrowing down through her center and right between her legs.
She wanted him, she realized, hardly able to believe her own stupidity. He was the very last man she should have the hots for. He didn’t want anything but a casual, between-the-sheets romp for however long he cared to play. Then he moved on without a care.
But was that so far removed from what she wanted herself? Her time with Justin had put her off the idea of anything long term or meaningful. Never again would she allow herself to be controlled by a man. Which meant she could actually indulge in that romp with Nathan, couldn’t she? There was really nothing stopping her.
But sex aside—and hell, how hot did the thought of that sound?—she couldn’t risk being with a man like him. She’d been burned, almost destroyed, by someone with many of the very same traits Nathan displayed. Demanding, arrogant, opinionated, egocentric… She would be asking for more
“Not in a good way, I hope.”
She returned his grin. “Don’t worry. You’re status as the man most likely not to get hitched appears safe and secure.”
“Glad to hear it. What about you? Your reputation. You’ve not been here long enough for me to hear any of those stories from the guys around town, so I need to get my information from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”
“I’m not the hitching type either. I was in a long-term relationship and it put me off the rest-of-your-life stuff for good.”
It hadn’t been as hard as she’d expected to finally tell the truth of it. She had planned not to reveal any information about her past with Justin, but Nathan really did have a way. Which was incredibly surprising. She’d resisted the attempts made by Talia and Naomi to get details from her about her past, and here she was telling Nathan like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Is that why you’re here? Fresh start?”
Okay. She wasn’t ready to reveal any more details that might demand further explanation. “I think most people like a fresh start after a relationship that didn’t work out. Mine just happened to coincide with wanting to do the research I mentioned before. It seemed like the perfect time to make the break.”
He eyed her for long moments in that way he had of making her feel he knew too much about her already, or that he fully intended to find out.
Thankfully, the speeches were announced, diverting Nathan’s attention to his groomsman duties.
Erin watched him as he gave an eloquent, witty and sometimes close-to-the-mark speech about the bridegroom. Their longtime friendship and obvious affection was evident in every word he uttered, and Erin felt a pang of envy and regret for the friendship she’d left behind when she’d run. Not that she and Kay would ever lose touch, but it was hard not to have her on hand for a hug and to share a glass of wine at the end of a shitty day. Erin glanced across at Naomi, and Talia, already mourning the loss of these budding friendships. She couldn’t stay in Bodmin long. She wondered if there would come a day when she would feel able to put down roots somewhere and have a normal life again.
Something Nathan said brought a huge laugh from the guests and snapped Erin’s attention back to the moment, and to Nathan. Hell, but he looked so stunningly gorgeous standing there in his dark gray suit, the collar of his white shirt juxtaposed with a thick, tanned neck, above which a solid jaw gave structure to a strong face.
But it was his eyes that gave her a jolt, every single time his dark green gaze met hers. As it did now. It heated her body, burning through every cell, every nerve ending, and made her head swim a little.
She tried to look away, but there was something so incredibly compelling about him, so elemental. He continued to talk to the room, but his attention was focused on her. The pull of his gaze shot to her breasts, making her nipples tighten and bud, before arrowing down through her center and right between her legs.
She wanted him, she realized, hardly able to believe her own stupidity. He was the very last man she should have the hots for. He didn’t want anything but a casual, between-the-sheets romp for however long he cared to play. Then he moved on without a care.
But was that so far removed from what she wanted herself? Her time with Justin had put her off the idea of anything long term or meaningful. Never again would she allow herself to be controlled by a man. Which meant she could actually indulge in that romp with Nathan, couldn’t she? There was really nothing stopping her.
But sex aside—and hell, how hot did the thought of that sound?—she couldn’t risk being with a man like him. She’d been burned, almost destroyed, by someone with many of the very same traits Nathan displayed. Demanding, arrogant, opinionated, egocentric… She would be asking for more
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