Free Dangerous Curves Ahead: A Perfect Fit Novel by Sugar Jamison

men like you. And you think I want to get married? Ha. I never wanted to be chained to one man for the rest of my life. Maybe I’m just looking for a little fun myself.”
    He looked at her with interest. “You don’t believe in marriage, either?”
    “I do, but for other people. I’ve worked too hard to get my life the way I want it for some man to come around and screw things up for me.”
    “I don’t believe in marriage for anybody. Go out with me.”
    “What?” She laughed. A date was the last thing she expected from him. “No!”
    “Why not?” He frowned.
    “Oh!” She laughed harder. “You’re not used to being turned down. Are you?”
    “No, so don’t turn me down.”
    “Why are you asking me out?” Ellis stopped seeing the humor in the situation.
    She couldn’t date him or anybody. It was too soon after her last failure, and there was something about Mike. There was something between them. She didn’t like him now, but she could, and if somebody like Jack could knock her on her ass then a man like Mike could destroy her altogether.
    “I don’t know why.” He looked as perplexed as she felt. “We don’t even like each other.” His eyes returned to her face. “Go out with me anyway.”
    “No.”
    They looked at each other for a long time, their eyes locked in some kind of unspoken battle. Four years ago he had kissed her and forgotten her. Would he be any different now? She wasn’t stupid enough to find out.
    “Sorry for the wait. The kitchen’s backed up,” the waitress said, breaking the spell between them.
    Ellis blinked, trying to clear her head, and focused on the huge platter of cheese fries in front of Colin and Cherri. Belinda had ordered a basket of chicken fingers—but when the waitress placed the nachos in front of Ellis and Mike, Ellis forgot about everything else. They looked better than she remembered. The red of the strawberries beautifully contrasted with all the white of the cream and the darkness of the chocolate. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. She wouldn’t indulge. She had two more whole days until she could.
    Thou mustn’t eat chocolate nachos on Thursdays.
    “Eat one,” Mike whispered in her ear, playing the role of naughty devil.
    She shook her head. “I can’t.” But God, she wanted to.
    “A few won’t hurt.” They would. They would hurt her very much, making her feel guilty and punish herself tomorrow by eating nothing but wilted celery. He didn’t seem to care about her inner turmoil. She watched as he picked up a chocolate-drenched chip, dipped it in cream, and dropped it in his mouth. “Damn, Ellis,” he moaned, and her stomach clenched. “These are amazing.”
    “I know,” she said mournfully. “I hate you, Mike Edwards, and everything you stand for.”
    He grinned at her, placed another nacho in his mouth, and moaned again. “You’ve got to eat one.”
    “No.” She folded her arms over her chest and shook her head.
    “How about just a strawberry then?” He lifted a whole strawberry, dipped it in chocolate and cream, and held it up to her mouth. “Strawberries are good for you.”
    “Not the way you dress them.” She grabbed hold of his wrist as his hand hovered in front of her mouth. “Mike, no.”
    He rubbed the strawberry against her lower lip, back and forth, leaving creamy chocolate behind. “Come on Ellis. Just try it.”
    Her tongue darted out to lick off the mess he made. And as if a choir of angels took up residence in her head, she heard AH!
    No willpower. She had absolutely no willpower.
    “Fine.” She relented and took a bite of the ripe strawberry. It was plump and good and sweet, all the things a good piece of fruit should be … plus it was covered in chocolate. AH!
    “Is this a fetish of yours, Mikey?” she asked as she finished chewing. “Does hand-feeding fat girls satisfy some kind of yearning you have? Or does it bring you some kind of wholesome joy like feeding animals at the zoo? Am I like