[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Simon frowned as he took a seat and watched her profile as she sliced
and diced like a professional. So, what happened?
She sighed. I dated Chris for five years. I thought we would end up
married. Unfortunately, I came home from work early one day and caught
him in bed with the person I thought was my best friend.
Was the guy totally insane? He had Kara in his bed every night and he
wanted someone else? He was an idiot.
It wasn t meant to be. I m actually thankful that I wasn t married to
him.
It still hurt you.
She shrugged. It was a long time ago.
Bastard. Simon couldn t help himself. He wanted to hurt the asshole.
What about you? She glanced toward him as she scraped sliced green
peppers into the salad bowl.
What about me?
Girlfriend? I feel like I might be cramping your style. Me living here, I
mean. She didn t look at him as she started on the tomatoes.
He shrugged. I ve never had one.
She stopped slicing and gaped at him with a look of astonishment.
Seriously?
Simon didn t include the one woman who had changed his life forever, at
the age of sixteen. He hadn t spoken her name or talked about her in years.
Not to anyone.
Nope. I m not exactly a social kind of guy. Sam is the compulsive dater.
He s got the looks for it, he replied dryly, taking a swig of his beer.
She mumbled something that Simon didn t quite catch.
What was that? he asked, wondering why her face was turning beet
red.
I said that you re better looking.
Simon almost dropped his beer, barely catching it before it fell into his
lap. Have you seen Sam?
She breezed out to the dining room to put the salad on the table, calling
out behind her. Sure. You have pictures of him and Helen everywhere.
His jaw dropped and he waited until she came back to check the steaks
before replying roughly, Then you know that s not true.
In my opinion, it is, she told him stubbornly. Just don t get a fat head
over it.
Simon grinned. Only Kara could throw out a compliment and then
immediately deflate him. Still, he couldn t believe she actually found him
attractive. What about my scars? Sam is a movie-star-handsome blond with
green eyes. Women seem to love that. Women loved Sam& and Sam loved
women. All of them! He charmed women of all ages. Too bad that he
couldn t seem to keep that adoration after they started dating him.
I guess I prefer my men tall, dark, and grouchy, she told him lightly as
she pulled the steaks from the oven.
He grabbed a potholder, his grin broadening as he took the sizzling steaks
from her, dropping one on each of the two plates that she had set out. He
watched her from hooded eyes, trying to figure out if she was actually
flirting with him. He didn t have a clue. Maybe she was just being nice.
After all, she didn t know Sam and she was living in his house. Still, her
comment warmed him, made him feel special. No one had ever considered
him handsome when compared to Sam, except possibly his mother. The
women who had sex with him did so for financial gain. A mutual agreement
that had suited him just fine& with those women!
Kara was an altogether different story. Instinctively, Simon knew an
arrangement with Kara that was similar to his previous ones would destroy
him.
As they settled at the dining room table, Simon suddenly remembered
what he had managed to obtain for her earlier. I have something for you.
He nearly laughed as she frowned at him, shaking her head as she said,
Simon, I m not taking one more thing. You ve done enough. Way too
much.
He didn t think he had done nearly enough, but he replied, You ll take
this.
No& I won t.
God, he loved that stubborn look on her face. He tipped the dining room
chair back and reached into the front pocket of his jeans. He held out his
hand, but Kara was still shaking her head tenaciously, so he dropped the
object on the table.
Oh, my God, Kara breathed softly, her voice filled with awe and
delight. She reached for the ring with trembling fingers, sliding it on her
finger slowly. My mother s ring. I didn t think I would ever see it again.
How did you find it?
Pawn shop, he replied, glad that he had made some of his employees
troll all of the area stores for the ring. I knew it was the one thing that you were sad to lose.
It s not expensive, but it means a great deal to me. It s the only thing I
have left that belonged to my mom, she choked, her voice wobbling with
emotion.
Simon would never tell her that her roommate only got a few dollars for
the piece of jewelry on her finger. It was an inexpensive ring shaped like a
butterfly with a tiny amethyst chip in the center, but Simon had seen Kara s
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]