Free More Than One Night by Nicole Leiren Page A

cheek, his whispered answer fanned across her ear. "I've found it the most effective way to get women to stop talking."
    She wanted to argue, wanted to admonish him, wanted to kiss him again. "Well, it was nicer than a shut up, I suppose."
    He chuckled. "Yeah, I've already been slapped a couple times tonight. Figured I'd take steps to avoid making my cheek even redder."
    Hearing his confession, she gently caressed his cheeks with her hands. "Dare I ask what you did to get yourself slapped?"
    "I told you. I broke up with door number two. She didn't take it so well."
    The euphoria from the kiss slipped from her body almost as quickly as it surfaced. "I really wish you hadn't done that. I'm going home in a few days to Chicago. You're going home to…Good Lord, Daniel, I don't even know where you live."
    "Mississippi."
    She rolled her eyes at his statement. "Great. Long distance relationships rarely survive in romance books. We would have zero chance. Besides, my mother will confirm I'm nothing but a big disappointment anyway. You're just wasting your time."
    "I have no idea what your mother has to do with any of this."
    Melodie sighed. "You mean your mother isn't trying to control every facet of your life?"
    "Not since I was sixteen. Before that we argued a lot." He grinned and kissed her forehead again.
    "Well my mother has never outgrown that particular desire. She is bound and determined to find the perfect job, the perfect house, and, lest we forget, the perfect man for me. Or, at least, support Evelyn's choice for the job." Her voice sounded tired, even to her own ears.
    He put his arm around her shoulders, gently guiding her back to the hotel. "I totally understand this is about more than you being pissed because I was late."
    "Technically, you were a no-show. And, for the record, I am upset." Why she'd let this man get under her skin, she had no idea. Because I want someone who can get under my skin and, maybe someday, into my heart.
    "Right. I was a no-show and I'm very sorry. I really wanted to see the memorial with you. I did try to reach you when I returned, but you weren't accepting calls. I'm guessing that was because your mom must've upset you earlier."
    "You're pretty smart for a guy, aren't you?" For the first time all evening, a smile teased her lips. Nothing too overt. A hint of smile. More like a slight upturn of the corners of her mouth.
    He stopped and cupped her cheek with his hand. "Not really, I just like paying attention to you." He combed his fingers through her hair before slipping his arm around her shoulders and resuming their walk.
    She leaned in to him. "Score one more for Dr. Jekyll."
    Once inside the sprawling interior of the hotel, she turned and smiled at him. "Enough talk about me. I'd rather talk about you and your breakup than discuss the sad state of my family affairs."
     "Let me buy you a drink, and I'll give you the CliffsNotes. That's librarian talk, right? I remember my school librarian mentioning something about those."
    Melodie rolled her eyes. He had a lot to learn about librarians. She added that to a list for another time and followed him the few steps to the lobby bar. Conflicted didn't even begin to describe the emotional storm barely held at bay deep within. His piercing blue eyes affected her on a frightening level. If she jumped into the deep end with him, would there be enough of her heart left should he turn out to be another in a long string of disappointments? Surprisingly, her heart won this battle. "One drink."
    "What'll you two have?" The bartender offered a knowing smile aimed at Daniel.
    "I'll take a beer, Coors light, and a vodka cranberry for the lady. Okay?" He took her hand and squeezed it.
    She shook her head. She needed to keep her wits about her for important conversations with him. Daniel's effect on her had already reduced her normally logical brain to a mass of jumbled wires and nerves, making her engage in activities well outside the norm. "Diet soda,