Free In my Arms Tonight (NYC Singles Book 2) by Sasha Clinton

most men had three kids and a divorce.
    “What makes you think I’m not married?” He ran a hand across his chiseled jaw.
    “You’re married?” A gasp floated out of her throat.
    Imagining him having a nice sweet wife… she didn’t know why that thought made her veins freeze to ice. Maybe because she’d been having inappropriate feelings around him all day long and it almost made her feel like an adulteress.
    Upset, she snapped into her reporter mode. “What’s your wife’s name? Profession? Education? Religious affiliation? Alma mater?”
    He laughed, then angled his brow. His grin was so charmingly boyish that she had to blink to make sure it was still him. Was he capable of being that playful?
    “Got you there, didn’t I?” He clasped his hand together. For a moment, she was struck.
    “So you’re not married,” Kat said, more than a little relieved.
    He contemplated for a breath. “No, but I came close to getting married once.”
    “How close?” The thudding of her heart was irrational. Why was she so curious about his personal life anyway?
    “All the way to the altar.” His back faced her now, his front looking out at the cityscape.
    “Then what happened? You changed your mind? Decided it was a bad idea?”
    “She didn’t turn up.”
    “You got jilted?” Drawing a ragged breath, Kat felt her cheeks go hot. “That’s awful.”
    A runaway bride, no parents… that was one unlucky life he had.
    Alex’s shrug was nonchalant, but the anger hardening his jaw gave his true feelings away. “No big deal. The affair only set me back by a few thousand dollars. But it was a lesson learnt. No more expensive weddings for me.” Sarcasm chomped through the words.
    “You paid for the wedding?” Kat wiped droplets of sweat off her nose.
    “She wasn’t earning at that point. But looking back, I think it’s sad that all I remember about that wedding is the cost.”
    “Well, the wedding didn’t actually happen, so you have nothing else to remember.” Biting the inside of her cheek, Kat
    “True, but I can’t even remember her birthday and I’m generally good with details like that,” The navy blue jacket hanging on him came off. “I’m getting old.”
    Kat snorted. “You’re not old. You’re only forty-six. Forties is the prime of life.”
    “I thought thirties was the prime of life.” He switched to a whisper.
    She shook her head in an emphatic no. “Thirties are when you’re stuck with making the transition from being an irresponsible twenty-something to having kids, paying mortgage, getting married and fighting for a middle-management position.”
    Making a small, funny gesture, Alex came around to her side. “Are you married, Kat?”
    “Nope. Neither do I have kids or a middle-management position. I haven’t trapped myself in the thirties cycle yet.”
    “Are you planning to trap yourself someday?” She could be wrong, but Kat detected hope in his voice.
    “Do I look like that type of woman? The type to get married and have kids?” she snarled.
    “I didn’t know there was a ‘type’ of woman who wanted to get married and have kids.” His hand met the curve of his hip.
    Immediately she felt defensive. “So you assume that’s what every woman wants? Marriage and kids?”
    She’d been on the receiving end of so many ‘How can you not want marriage and kids’ and ‘You’ll die lonely’ lectures and if he gave her another one of those, she was going to blow. Sometimes, she felt like she was fighting a lifelong battle against the expectations of society by avoiding marriage and kids.
    “No, I assume you don’t need to be a certain ‘type’ of woman to want those things. But I can tell you don’t want all that.”
    “Damn right I don’t,” came her vexed drawl.
    “And you feel strongly about it,” he added with an approving nod. “Which is admirable.”
    Her jaw came unhinged. Collecting herself, Kat locked her fingers around the strap of her bag. “You’re the