Free Getting Hotter by Elle Kennedy Page B

think she gave up on me without ever even giving me a chance.”
    “I’m sorry,” Seth said gruffly.
    “The one thing she did do was pay for my dance lessons. To this day, I’m still baffled by it. Maybe she wanted me out of her hair four evenings a week. And she left me some money when she died, which I also don’t understand.”
    “Maybe she cared about you and that was the only way she knew how to show it,” he countered.
    “Maybe.”
    “Is it that hard to believe that the woman who fed and clothed you and paid for your dance lessons might have actually loved you?” he teased, reaching out to tweak one of her knees.
    Miranda jumped the moment he made contact. “Sorry,” she murmured. “I’m just…”
    “Determined to keep me at arm’s length,” he finished darkly.
    “Don’t look at me like that.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like I’m committing some horrendous crime by not agreeing to sleep with you. You’re a good-looking man, Seth. You can have any woman you want—so go pick one and let this go.”
    As usual, he didn’t acknowledge her latest rejection. “Why was it a huge deal?”
    She ran a frustrated hand through her hair, tucking the long strands behind her ear. “What are you talking about?”
    “That’s what you said after I kissed you, that the kiss was a huge deal.” His gray eyes narrowed. “Why?”
    “I don’t know why I said that,” she answered, starting to feel flustered. “It wasn’t really a big deal at all. I mean…I guess…whatever. Can we not talk about this anymore?”
    Ha, fat chance. Like Seth would ever drop the subject now. That stupid stammering fest would only succeed in heightening his curiosity, not eliminating it.
    Sure enough, his expression took on that familiar mocking light. “So are you going to tell me or should I start guessing?”
    She gritted her teeth.
    “Guessing, it is. All right…the kiss was a big thing because…you’re in love with me?”
    Miranda’s jaw dropped. “What? No .”
    “Huh. Not sure if I should be insulted by how fast you shot that down.” He shrugged. “Okay, then it must be ’cause you’ve never been kissed like that before. It was that amazing, huh?”
    Aggravation climbed up her throat. “You’re really not going to drop this, are you?”
    “Nope.”
    She leaned forward and grabbed her beer from the table. A few sips later, she didn’t feel any less embarrassed about the conversation or the confession sitting on the tip of her tongue.
    “Come on, baby, spit it out.”
    She met his inquisitive gaze. “It was a big thing because it’s the first time I’ve kissed a man since the twins were born.”
    Silence.
    And then some more silence.
    Seth was staring at her like she’d grown horns and a tail, as if the fact that she hadn’t been making out with men left and right was truly astounding. The longer he stayed quiet, the more uncomfortable she became, and the discomfort only skyrocketed when understanding dawned on his face and she saw him grasp what she hadn’t said.
    “Shit, you haven’t had sex in six years ?” he blurted out, each word dripping with incredulity.
    She managed a quick nod. Her cheeks were so hot she knew she must look like a tomato.
    “ Six years.”
    She finally found her voice. “Seven, if we’re going for accuracy here.”
    “ Seven years?”
    “Yes, and stop looking at me like that.”
    “Seven years!”
    She heaved a sigh, wishing he would quit acting like her admission was so damn unfathomable. Lots of people went without sex.
    Right?
    “Wow. Just…wow.” Seth shook his head in amazement. “I guess parenthood does equal celibacy.”
    “What?”
    “Nothing.” He took the beer from her hand and promptly dropped it back on the coffee table, his movements quick and decisive. “You just blew my mind, you know that?”
    She clenched her jaw, a little tempted to clock him one. An impulse that deepened when he opened that smart mouth of his and said, “Oh, baby, you need this