Free Voluptuous by Natasha Moore

the
date.”
    She took a quick step back. “And you told him I was fat and
he left me sitting there?” Her stomach twisted again.
    “No! I told him you were hot and sexy. That’s the truth,
Meredith.” Sam closed his eyes for a moment. “He left the bar after he saw
you.”
    “And you felt sorry for me.” That was even worse.
    “No. Well, I didn’t want you sitting there by yourself.”
    She nodded. “You felt sorry for me.”
    “I never thought of it like that.”
    She didn’t want to cry in front of him and she sure as hell
didn’t want his pity. “I have to go now.”
    “Don’t go. Please believe me. I’ve wanted to ask you out for
ages.” She could almost believe the desperation on his face. “I like you so
much. I want to see you again.”
    “Well, we’ll be seeing each other at work every day and
isn’t that going to be awkward? I knew it would be. That’s why we never should
have done this.” She grabbed her underwear off the floor. She wished she could
hide in the bathroom to get dressed but at this point, what did it matter? She
sat down on the sofa, threw off the comforter and pulled on her panties.
    The heat in his gaze flared. “No. I’m not talking about
seeing you at work. I want to see you after work. I want to see you in my bed
again.”
    She wished she could believe him. “You’re a nice guy, Sam,”
she said as she hooked her bra. “I appreciate you saying that, but I know it’s
not true.”
    “What are you talking about? I wouldn’t lie to you.”
    She lifted a brow and stared him down like he’d done more
than once to her the night before.
    “I wouldn’t lie to you about this.”
    Meredith slipped her dress on over her head. “I’m letting
you off the hook, Sam. I don’t expect more than one night. I never did. You
know that.” She turned her back to him. “Can you do me up?”
    He pulled up the zipper, then swept her hair to the side and
kissed the back of her neck. “Sweetheart.”
    She pulled away from him, her heart aching. “Don’t call me
that. Don’t even talk to me at the lab unless it’s about work. I can’t deal
with it.” She couldn’t imagine the days to come, when she’d be teased with the
sight of him, the scent of him and the memories of the love they made.
Correction, the pity fuck. She grabbed her shoes and shoved her feet into them.
    “I’m sorry I lied about why I was at the bar last night.” He
sounded sincere but then, so had he the night before. “But I swear, that’s the
only thing I lied about.”
    She nodded. He was too nice to say anything else.
    “Will you give me another chance? I had a great time with
you last night. I want to spend more time with you. Don’t you want to see where
this thing between us could go?”
    He might actually believe what he was saying right now but
he wouldn’t for long. She’d been hurt too many times to risk it. Her heart
would be smashed to tiny pieces and this time it might never recover.
    Meredith grabbed her purse. “No, Sam. I don’t.” She resisted
the urge to kiss him. Instead she backed away from him, memorizing him, until
she hit the door with her ass. She turned and walked out, knowing it was the
only thing she could do.
    * * * * *
    Sam hadn’t slept more than a few scattered hours in the past
week. He’d changed all the bedding, but he swore he could still smell
Meredith’s scent all around him. And when he finally did drift off to sleep,
she haunted his dreams, smiling that sweet smile, clasping him to her breast
and opening her body for him, then pushing him away with unshed tears in her
eyes.
    She haunted him all day long too. He’d tried to talk to her
but after she blatantly ignored him time after time, he began to send his
assistant whenever he had questions for her. He couldn’t stand to see the hurt
she tried to hide from him.
    He hated that he’d ended up being another guy who’d lied to
her. Another guy who gave her hope and then snatched it away. It didn’t