Sweet Spot by Susan Mallery Page B

time with me, you’ll like me.”
    “And that matters why?”
    “You need to like me so you’ll want to sleep with me.”
    Nicole was grateful for the cane. It helped keep her upright. “This is all about getting me into bed?”
    “Naked,” Hawk added in a mock whisper. “Don’t leave out the best part.”
    She totally understood her attraction to him. He was amazing looking and kind of funny and maybe nice, even if he was a playboy. Obviously there was a chemical thing going on, but that only explained her end of things. She wasn’t making it easy, which begged the question…
    “Why me?”
    “You intrigue me. You’re not easy.”
    That was it? He couldn’t say he thought she was pretty or interesting or sexy? Intriguing was as good as it was going to get?
    “I’m not sure about your standards,” she muttered, feeling slightly sick to her stomach.
    She turned away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back so they were facing each other and suddenly much closer than they had been.
    “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he said, staring directly into her eyes. “I want to see you again. Naked would be my first choice, but I’ll deal with clothes if I have to. Despite what those women you were talking to might have said, I don’t do this a whole lot. There’s something about you, Nicole. I can’t figure it out, but I will.”
    And then what? He would be over her?
    She didn’t know what to say, what to think. What was he asking? To date her? To have sex? Both?
    She wanted to say yes, but the fear returned. The chilling emotion that warned her that, while she might be over Drew, she wasn’t over being hurt and she wasn’t ready to get involved or even play. Not that she’d ever been much of a player.
    “Say yes,” he told her.
    “I can’t.”
    He leaned in and kissed her. It was hard and hot, his tongue pushing into her mouth. He took what he wanted and left her breathless. She kissed him back, feeling her blood heat. It was a battle of wills. Based on the way they were both breathing hard when they pulled apart, there was no clear winner.
    “Say yes,” he repeated.
    If only she could.
    He sighed. “Bring dessert.”
    “Okay.”
    He released her and was gone. When her head stopped spinning, she saw he’d left a hundred-dollar bill on the counter, which would cover a whole lot of cookies and cupcakes.
    Maggie walked in from the back.
    “That was interesting,” she said. “He’s very clear about what he wants. I like that in a man. You should go out with him.”
    “I can’t. I’m not ready to have a relationship.”
    “Who said anything about a relationship?” Maggie’s smile faded. “Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot about what happened.”
    Nicole bristled at the pity she saw in her friend’s eyes. She wanted to defend herself, to say she was doing fine. Based on how she couldn’t handle Hawk’s playful invitation, that wasn’t true.
    “I’ll get the order together,” Maggie said. “You head home.”
    “Okay. I’ll be in to pick it up tomorrow.”
    Nicole left.
    On the drive home, she tried to talk herself into a better mood. She should be grateful she had friends who cared. And she was. Sort of. But she really, really hated anyone feeling sorry for her. She prided herself on managing. Whatever happened in her life, she managed.
    It was her own fault, she reminded herself. She’d wanted to go out with Drew. She’d accepted when he’d proposed. She’d known she wasn’t madly in love with him, but she’d begun to think no one would ever care about her enough to want to marry her. A stupid reason to get involved. There was nothing like a little hindsight to make everything clear. Unfortunately, knowing what she should have done didn’t change the past.
    So now what? How did she get over what had happened? She wasn’t missing her bastard of an ex-husband, but she sure wanted her pride and self-respect back. If only she could buy them online.
    She was still smiling at the