Read Online Down With Cupid Shorts Bundle by Melissa Blue - Free Book Online Page B

Anna. The woman had made a name for herself and her employees benefited from her reputation. But the past week he’d learned Nicole was Limelight. She’d told him she was a shark by day and that was the truth.
    He hadn’t seen the workaholic during their weekend. He’d only witnessed the passion and soft core of a woman who needed to breathe and not think about what someone else needed. He respected the hell out of the Nicole Harrison , but he wanted this soft and vulnerable woman. He craved for Nicole.
    “No, you can’t,” he said. “I like the story though.”
    She rolled her shoulders. “Your turn.”
    Sebastian shook his head. “My story’s sad and depressing and pathetic.”
    She leaned closer. “Let me hear it. Every detail.”
    His mouth no longer filled with bitterness when he thought about the reason his life had changed. Something hardened in Sebastian’s chest when he thought about how he fell into a business that was never really about the real person but how the person looked to everyone.
    He met her gaze and ate another piece of pizza. She didn’t push or look impatient. He liked that about her. Wiping his mouth, he said, “I fell in love.”
    Her brows rose. “Like I love my phone?”
    “More. Deeper. And stupid in love.”
    Her gaze swept over his face. “I’m guessing she broke your heart.”
    “Of course she did. Every man has at least one woman who takes his heart and shish kebabs it.”
    Wariness thinned her mouth into a line. “And, you’re going to tell me? No strings attached?”
    “Did your story come with conditions I’m not aware of?” He shot back.
    “No,” she said, offended.
    “Then why would mine?”
    “Because you’re cagey. A fast talker.” She ticked off her fingers, counting off his offenses. “There’s a strategy behind this whole get to know each other conversation. I can’t figure out what it is, but I’m going with it for now.”
    She was sharp. He grinned. “Have I lied to you yet?”
    “I don’t know.” She crossed her arms. “Have you?”
    “I don’t have to.”
    “And if you did need to?”
    He pointed to the phone that hadn’t left her sight. “Out of all of the contacts you have, how many are real friends?”
    “My grandmother told me if you have more than five friends then you’re just lying to yourself.”
    “Name one then.”
    She lifted her chin. “You were telling me how some woman shish kebabbed your heart.”
    “And I’m the cagey one?” He finished off the last slice of pizza. Wiped his mouth again but this time stood. “We’ll walk and talk. It’s going to be a long story.”
    She tapped the screen on her phone. “We can’t. We have to—”
    “Take a break from work for a few hours or you’ll be useless once we start calling more people on Chelsea’s behalf. She’s laid low like we told her to. The initial spin is out. We’ve got time. Also, I hate talking work after I eat.”
    “Could be because you eat like a horse.”
    “So do you, and that’s a compliment. Hate to eat with a woman who picks at her plate when I know damn well she wants to lick the damn thing.” She stood too. All supple and tempting curves. Damn. “And I like my woman with curves anyway. Gives me something to hold on to.” He didn’t give her time to hit him back with something. “Which way is the park?”
    “At night?”
    “It’s unseasonably warm tonight. They’ve got a handle on the seedier side of life and it’s well lit. Since I’m still not planning to maul you, you’ll be safe.”
    Sebastian used the same tactic as before and began to walk out of the pizza place before she decided to go with him or not. Leaving first left little room for her to debate the reasons not to. If she waited too long, she’d have to run to catch up. She needed to get in a gripe or two and if he wasn’t there to hear it…
    By the time he got to the door, Nicole was at his side. He bit back the smile.
    “You do that on purpose,” she said,