say I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow. I miss you. Sleep well, hon.”
Adam’s body went glacier-like as Kate stifled a gasp. She watched him slowly withdraw from her. “I…I can explain.”
But what could she say? Did she even want to explain? This was her way out. She knew where he would be tomorrow and she could meet him as Katrina, the bad girl.
“Are you going to tell me that was a wrong number?” he asked coldly. She didn’t say a word. “I didn’t think so.” His black gaze skimmed over her flushed cheeks, her wide eyes, her lower lip caught between her teeth. “What was it, Kate? Were you looking for a quick roll in the hay while your boyfriend was out?” He clenched his jaw. “Are you married?”
“ No! ” Kate was mortified.
He laughed suddenly, but the sound held no amusement. “I must admit you had me fooled, Kate. I thought you were…” He paused, swallowing. “Never mind what I thought. Goodnight, Kate.” He rose and went to the door.
Kate panicked, watching him leave, even though every bone in her body was telling her to let him go. Her research on the nice girl was done. He was attracted to her. He wanted to see her again. What more did she want?
She didn’t want him to leave thinking ill of her. It mattered to her what he thought. She followed him quickly to the door.
“Wait. Adam, please.”
With tense shoulders, he turned around and faced her. The expression on his face was distant, remote, and if it hadn’t been for the telltale muscle working along his jaw, she would have thought he didn’t care.
She drew in a breath and exhaled a rush of words. “I know that message sounded incriminating, but I can explain. That was Ben, Barb’s fiancé. She’s…she’s staying with me until her place is fumigated. She’s visiting mom tonight and…and should be back soon.” Her research was turning her into a good liar, and she didn’t like this revelation.
“I see.”
She took an involuntary step forward. “I’m not…I don’t sleep around, Adam.” She blushed furiously. “There hasn’t been anyone since…for a long time.”
“You don’t owe me any explanations, Kate.”
“I want to explain.” A rush of feelings welled in her throat and she realized with stunning clarity how much she cared what he thought of her. “I…I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me.”
And with that, his tension melted away, and his expression softened. “You never struck me as that kind of woman.”
She touched his arm. “So are we…are we still friends?”
He glanced down at her hand. Kate could feel his muscles bunch beneath her fingers and she gazed up into his handsome face.
Slowly, he nodded. “All right,” he said. “We’re still friends.”
And with that he gave her a small, mocking bow. “Good night, Kate.”
* * * *
Friends. Adam grimaced as he took the stairs two at a time. If he had stayed, he would have kissed her again and shown her how friendship was the last thing on his mind. The thought of kissing her almost made him turn back. Instead he left the building and marched to his car.
He’d believed her when she’d explained the phone message. He’d also believed her when she said she didn’t sleep around, which was precisely why he couldn’t see her again. They lived on opposite poles. She was family-oriented and serious about commitment and he wasn’t. His parents had shown him at a young age how marriage destroyed you. He wasn’t willing to take that risk. Passion and love died, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake, and he wasn’t about to have the same life his parents had.
Love. His face darkened. Love was for dreamers. He wasn’t a dreamer. Adam believed in facts, in data and truth, in reality. That’s what made him such a whiz in the world of computers.
Once, a long time ago, he almost believed in love, but that relationship had soured before it even began, and once again he’d been faced with the knowledge that love
Adam’s body went glacier-like as Kate stifled a gasp. She watched him slowly withdraw from her. “I…I can explain.”
But what could she say? Did she even want to explain? This was her way out. She knew where he would be tomorrow and she could meet him as Katrina, the bad girl.
“Are you going to tell me that was a wrong number?” he asked coldly. She didn’t say a word. “I didn’t think so.” His black gaze skimmed over her flushed cheeks, her wide eyes, her lower lip caught between her teeth. “What was it, Kate? Were you looking for a quick roll in the hay while your boyfriend was out?” He clenched his jaw. “Are you married?”
“ No! ” Kate was mortified.
He laughed suddenly, but the sound held no amusement. “I must admit you had me fooled, Kate. I thought you were…” He paused, swallowing. “Never mind what I thought. Goodnight, Kate.” He rose and went to the door.
Kate panicked, watching him leave, even though every bone in her body was telling her to let him go. Her research on the nice girl was done. He was attracted to her. He wanted to see her again. What more did she want?
She didn’t want him to leave thinking ill of her. It mattered to her what he thought. She followed him quickly to the door.
“Wait. Adam, please.”
With tense shoulders, he turned around and faced her. The expression on his face was distant, remote, and if it hadn’t been for the telltale muscle working along his jaw, she would have thought he didn’t care.
She drew in a breath and exhaled a rush of words. “I know that message sounded incriminating, but I can explain. That was Ben, Barb’s fiancé. She’s…she’s staying with me until her place is fumigated. She’s visiting mom tonight and…and should be back soon.” Her research was turning her into a good liar, and she didn’t like this revelation.
“I see.”
She took an involuntary step forward. “I’m not…I don’t sleep around, Adam.” She blushed furiously. “There hasn’t been anyone since…for a long time.”
“You don’t owe me any explanations, Kate.”
“I want to explain.” A rush of feelings welled in her throat and she realized with stunning clarity how much she cared what he thought of her. “I…I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me.”
And with that, his tension melted away, and his expression softened. “You never struck me as that kind of woman.”
She touched his arm. “So are we…are we still friends?”
He glanced down at her hand. Kate could feel his muscles bunch beneath her fingers and she gazed up into his handsome face.
Slowly, he nodded. “All right,” he said. “We’re still friends.”
And with that he gave her a small, mocking bow. “Good night, Kate.”
* * * *
Friends. Adam grimaced as he took the stairs two at a time. If he had stayed, he would have kissed her again and shown her how friendship was the last thing on his mind. The thought of kissing her almost made him turn back. Instead he left the building and marched to his car.
He’d believed her when she’d explained the phone message. He’d also believed her when she said she didn’t sleep around, which was precisely why he couldn’t see her again. They lived on opposite poles. She was family-oriented and serious about commitment and he wasn’t. His parents had shown him at a young age how marriage destroyed you. He wasn’t willing to take that risk. Passion and love died, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake, and he wasn’t about to have the same life his parents had.
Love. His face darkened. Love was for dreamers. He wasn’t a dreamer. Adam believed in facts, in data and truth, in reality. That’s what made him such a whiz in the world of computers.
Once, a long time ago, he almost believed in love, but that relationship had soured before it even began, and once again he’d been faced with the knowledge that love
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