Read Online Misunderstood: In Love with the Nerd (The Miss Series Book 2) by Peggy Ann Craig - Free Book Online Page B

obviously mocking him at his very evident male appraisal of her looks.  He had to clear his throat before answering.  “Yes?”
    “I wanted your opinion.”  She eyed him closely.  “Do you think you can give me an unbiased one?”
    His face grew hard.  Conceited wench.  “I think so.”
    Giving him a broad grin, she came closer and scooped up her hair.  “Up or down?”
    The lump in his throat returned.  Lord, she was far too close.  She smelled so good.  “Um, down, it looks good down.”
    She raised a brow.  “No commentary?  No spew of useless information?”
    He nearly tripped over his own feet as he took a swift step back.  “Did you know a strand of hair consists of keratin protein containing an amino acid that produces a disulphide bridge—”
    “Daniel.”
    “—which links protein chains in the hair—”
    “Daniel.”
    He halted mid-sentence when his legs hit the back of her sofa and she took a step closer.  “Y-yes?”
    “How do I look without curls?”
    “Nice.”  That cursed lump was beginning to choke him slowly.
    “Nice?”  She rolled her eyes.  “Anyone ever tell you, Daniel Keller, you need to work on your words of flattery?”
    He simply shook his head, the uncomfortable bulge in his throat was beginning to have a similar reaction in his chest and he feared would begin a downward descent.
    Leaning closer, she frowned at him.  “Are you all right?  I mean, you don’t look so good.”
    He couldn’t have stopped his hand if he wanted.  As if belonging to another man, he watched as it lifted and gently ran through her long tresses.  It was obvious she was taken aback, but she only turned her head slightly in the direction of his hand and gave him a curious look.
    “Uh, it, um—”  He swallowed the thick mucus forming in the back of his throat.  Breathe. Don’t forget to breathe, dammit.  “It looks better.”
    She grinned all at once, yet still did not step away from his hand where it remained drowning in her hair.  “You didn’t like the afro?”
    “I like it straight.”
    Her smile faltered.  “Really?”
    “It suits you.  It’s more natural.”
    She stared up at him speechless.  Their eyes locked then all at once something foreign shot across her face before she took a swift step away from his hand.  “It is.”
    “Pardon?”  He blinked, dropping his abandoned hand to his side.
    “Naturally straight.”  She pointed to her head.  “My hair.”
    He nodded in understanding, then sighed heavily, trying to collect himself.  Hell, she always made him feel like a horny adolescent teenager.  “Was that all you wanted?  Because I have, um, I’m working on something and I’ve got to go—um, I have to meet my intern down at the Institute in, uh, well—soon.”
    “Yes.”  She gave him the same smile she had always bestowed him over the past year.  No sexual innuendo, no enticement, no temptation.  Just a simple, friendly and cordial smile.  “Thank you, Daniel.  What would I do without you?”
    “Right.”  Giving a short nod, he turned and swept out of the apartment as fast as he could.
    The question was, what would he do without her?
     
    * * *
     
    “Your place or mine?”  Tristan’s arm was crossed over the back of her seat, only inches away from touching her.  In actual fact, he hadn’t made one attempt to touch her all night.  His question almost sounded ludicrous.  She gazed into his beautiful blue eyes and remembered how long she wanted this.  Ever since she first laid eyes on him, she claimed him as hers.  No matter what the cost, she was going to get that man.
    He was a challenge.  She even went so far as getting a job in his bar to come in closer contact with him.  It was four weeks now, and still he showed as little interest as he did before she was his employee.  So why the question?  Did he seriously think she would sleep with him simply because she was attracted to him?  She made no secret of her