Page 22
Story: Merrick
“I’m not.” Leaning back, he picked up his glass and took a sip, watching her over the rim.
“Bad experiences?”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “Just enough to make an evaluation.”
“I am betting I can get you to change your mind about my species.”
“I am fine.”
“Not up to the challenge?”
She cast him a retired look that had him grinning and taking several years off his face.
“I’m not sleeping with you.” She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself and was sure he heard it too.
“Why not?”
“Because.”
He merely lifted a brow and waited.
“It would only complicate things.”
“What things?”
She could not very well tell him the real reason, so she reached for something else.
“You’re involved with someone.”
“Not anymore.”
Her tapered brows shot up. “That was quick. I hope it is not on my account.”
“It is on mine. We were simply enjoying each other’s company, nothing more.”
“The last time I saw you, she was saying something about buying painting for your bedroom.”
Jennifer already knows I do not need any more paintings for my suite.”
“I’m guessing that statement was for my benefit?”
“Possibly.” He inclined his head, watching her closely.
“Which only proves that she wants the relationship to continue.”
“She knew the deal from the beginning.”
She took another sip of wine. “And that is what you would want from me? A diversion?”
Amusement intensified his gray eyes. “I would consider you more of a distraction.”
“Which is all the more reason not to start anything.”
“I never tagged you for a coward.”
Her eyes flashed, and he watched in fascination as she stamped it out. “You’re good.”
“It seems you’re better.” He took another sip of the wine. “There is a perfectly clean and tidy cabin down below. One might even call it the height of luxury. We could simply indulge.”
“Bad experiences?”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “Just enough to make an evaluation.”
“I am betting I can get you to change your mind about my species.”
“I am fine.”
“Not up to the challenge?”
She cast him a retired look that had him grinning and taking several years off his face.
“I’m not sleeping with you.” She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself and was sure he heard it too.
“Why not?”
“Because.”
He merely lifted a brow and waited.
“It would only complicate things.”
“What things?”
She could not very well tell him the real reason, so she reached for something else.
“You’re involved with someone.”
“Not anymore.”
Her tapered brows shot up. “That was quick. I hope it is not on my account.”
“It is on mine. We were simply enjoying each other’s company, nothing more.”
“The last time I saw you, she was saying something about buying painting for your bedroom.”
Jennifer already knows I do not need any more paintings for my suite.”
“I’m guessing that statement was for my benefit?”
“Possibly.” He inclined his head, watching her closely.
“Which only proves that she wants the relationship to continue.”
“She knew the deal from the beginning.”
She took another sip of wine. “And that is what you would want from me? A diversion?”
Amusement intensified his gray eyes. “I would consider you more of a distraction.”
“Which is all the more reason not to start anything.”
“I never tagged you for a coward.”
Her eyes flashed, and he watched in fascination as she stamped it out. “You’re good.”
“It seems you’re better.” He took another sip of the wine. “There is a perfectly clean and tidy cabin down below. One might even call it the height of luxury. We could simply indulge.”
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