you love that guy?”
She shook her head. “I liked him a lot. Thought he’d make a good husband.”
“Why didn’t you marry him? Another intervention?”
“No. I chickened out.” She looked at her hands.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I started a new job about a month before we were supposed to get married. We both thought it would be better if we worked in different places. And there was this guy. He was so hot.”
“You had an affair?”
“No, of course not! But I wanted to and it made me realize that I should not be getting married.”
“So you dumped Bob?”
“Yeah. He took it well. Too well,” she said glumly. “He was married to the girl that replaced me at my desk three months later.”
“Then you hooked up with the hot guy at work?”
“No.”
“Why the hell not? Was he married?”
“No. He was way out of my league.”
I gaped at her. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
She stared up me. Her mouth was parted and her eyes were staring at my lips. Shit.
“What do you mean he was out of your league?” I demanded.
“I mean, he was super hot, and I knew I couldn’t get him. And I was too scared to even try.”
“That’s fucked up. You’re smoking hot Bell. You gotta own that shit.”
I didn’t realize the mistake I’d made until it was too late. She launched herself at me. She was on her knees on the couch cushion, her arms thrown around my neck, her lips pressed to mine.
I had two major problems at that moment. First, I didn’t want to hurt her fragile ego. And second, I was totally kissing her back. It was not an option, she was so soft and warm. Her little mouth was driving me crazy.
“Sweetheart,” I said softly, pulling her shoulders back gently. “Hang on a sec, okay.”
At the same time that I pulled her face away from mine, I picked up her hips and set her on my lap. I had to tread lightly here.
“I went for it,” she said. She was actually shaking.
“You sure did, sweetie. See, I knew you were brave. And passionate. Fuck this boring guy scene,” I said lightly.
She actually laughed a little. This was good.
“But you’re too hot for me. You’re gonna drive me crazy.”
“That’s the idea.”
I shook my head. “I told you before, I’m no good for you Bell.”
“But that’s just it, Henry. I want to do a little sexual therapy on myself. For the first time in my life I want to have a casual, hot, sexy fling with a guy I have no intention of marrying.”
“I’m not convinced that’s what you need. But even if it is, I’m still not the guy for you. I’m a terrible slut, and I can be charming as hell, but nothing ever lasts with me.”
“You’re perfect, Henry. I trust you, and I know it will never lead anywhere. That’s what I want.”
I was suddenly deeply wounded. I had no explanation for it, and I certainly didn’t have time to sort through it. I pushed that aside.
“I’m not. I think you should talk to Baby about this.” I shifted her gently off my lap and stood up.
She stayed seated and looked up at me. “I did.”
I took her hands and pulled her into a standing position. “And what did she say?”
“She supports my plan, as long as I’m safe. And…”
“And?”
“And she said that I should stay away from you at all costs.”
“I couldn’t agree with her more.”
Again, I was hurt. But I sure didn’t deserve to be.
“So who do you think I should go for?”
She looked up at me with those big brown eyes. I wanted to throw her in my closet and lock her away from every other guy. I also wanted to throw her in my bed and climb on top of her.
“I think a tour is a bad place to go looking for that kind of thing.”
She stuck her chin out. “I think you’re wrong. I think it’s the perfect place.” She walked to the door.
“What does Sean say?”
She stiffened and turned around, her hand on the doorknob. “Don’t say a word to him,” she warned. “He’ll have Mike following me around like the
She shook her head. “I liked him a lot. Thought he’d make a good husband.”
“Why didn’t you marry him? Another intervention?”
“No. I chickened out.” She looked at her hands.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I started a new job about a month before we were supposed to get married. We both thought it would be better if we worked in different places. And there was this guy. He was so hot.”
“You had an affair?”
“No, of course not! But I wanted to and it made me realize that I should not be getting married.”
“So you dumped Bob?”
“Yeah. He took it well. Too well,” she said glumly. “He was married to the girl that replaced me at my desk three months later.”
“Then you hooked up with the hot guy at work?”
“No.”
“Why the hell not? Was he married?”
“No. He was way out of my league.”
I gaped at her. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
She stared up me. Her mouth was parted and her eyes were staring at my lips. Shit.
“What do you mean he was out of your league?” I demanded.
“I mean, he was super hot, and I knew I couldn’t get him. And I was too scared to even try.”
“That’s fucked up. You’re smoking hot Bell. You gotta own that shit.”
I didn’t realize the mistake I’d made until it was too late. She launched herself at me. She was on her knees on the couch cushion, her arms thrown around my neck, her lips pressed to mine.
I had two major problems at that moment. First, I didn’t want to hurt her fragile ego. And second, I was totally kissing her back. It was not an option, she was so soft and warm. Her little mouth was driving me crazy.
“Sweetheart,” I said softly, pulling her shoulders back gently. “Hang on a sec, okay.”
At the same time that I pulled her face away from mine, I picked up her hips and set her on my lap. I had to tread lightly here.
“I went for it,” she said. She was actually shaking.
“You sure did, sweetie. See, I knew you were brave. And passionate. Fuck this boring guy scene,” I said lightly.
She actually laughed a little. This was good.
“But you’re too hot for me. You’re gonna drive me crazy.”
“That’s the idea.”
I shook my head. “I told you before, I’m no good for you Bell.”
“But that’s just it, Henry. I want to do a little sexual therapy on myself. For the first time in my life I want to have a casual, hot, sexy fling with a guy I have no intention of marrying.”
“I’m not convinced that’s what you need. But even if it is, I’m still not the guy for you. I’m a terrible slut, and I can be charming as hell, but nothing ever lasts with me.”
“You’re perfect, Henry. I trust you, and I know it will never lead anywhere. That’s what I want.”
I was suddenly deeply wounded. I had no explanation for it, and I certainly didn’t have time to sort through it. I pushed that aside.
“I’m not. I think you should talk to Baby about this.” I shifted her gently off my lap and stood up.
She stayed seated and looked up at me. “I did.”
I took her hands and pulled her into a standing position. “And what did she say?”
“She supports my plan, as long as I’m safe. And…”
“And?”
“And she said that I should stay away from you at all costs.”
“I couldn’t agree with her more.”
Again, I was hurt. But I sure didn’t deserve to be.
“So who do you think I should go for?”
She looked up at me with those big brown eyes. I wanted to throw her in my closet and lock her away from every other guy. I also wanted to throw her in my bed and climb on top of her.
“I think a tour is a bad place to go looking for that kind of thing.”
She stuck her chin out. “I think you’re wrong. I think it’s the perfect place.” She walked to the door.
“What does Sean say?”
She stiffened and turned around, her hand on the doorknob. “Don’t say a word to him,” she warned. “He’ll have Mike following me around like the
Similar Books
