Free Nice Girls Finish Last by Natalie Anderson

today, or any other day?’
    She froze, halfway across the floor to the door. He wasn’t slow, was he? She inhaled and turned to face him. ‘Any other day. Sorry.’
    He still lay reclined like a glorious bronze sculpture. ‘So that’s it? You’re giving me the boot? Going to make me do the walk of shame home?’
    She wrinkled her nose. ‘Not the walk of shame.’
    â€˜No?’ he drawled. ‘You’re not having some regrets right now?’
    She blinked and then forced a smile, faking confidence in both her decision and her ability to enforce it. ‘Oh, no, I don’t regret what happened at all. It was amazing. But…’
    â€˜But it was just the one night.’
    â€˜That’s what we agreed,’ she reminded him carefully.
    â€˜And even though it was incredible, you want to stick to that plan.’
    She paused, trying to dilute the wave of pleasure from hearing that he’d thought it was incredible, too. ‘That’s right.’
    â€˜Any particular reason?’
    Was he disappointed? Wasn’t this the usual modus operandi for him—easy come, easy go?
    â€˜Seth.’ She walked back to the bed and sat beside him, making the mistake of looking into his narrowed eyes. ‘Last night was like having this incredibly rich dessert. Really decadent and delightful but if you have too much…it’s not good for you. You know?’
    He silently looked at her, then swiftly sat up. The sheet dropped low to his hips. She mentally screamed at herself not to look down—but her peripheral vision was feasting anyway and she could feel her flush blooming.
    He grinned and slipped his hand to the back of her neck to pull her close. She didn’t resist. This was the goodbye. This was absolutely the goodbye kiss. And, hell, he knew how to do it. His lips teased hers, his tongue tormenting with the promise of that sweet, carnal seduction all over again. She leaned closer, opened deeper, the roughness of his stubble sending delicious shivers down her spine. Passion, hunger, heat grew. She slid her hands wide over his shoulders and arms, celebrating his hot skin and the hard strength beneath. Her will weakened, almost dissolving completely in his fire.
    He drew back, delight shining in his eyes and smile. ‘How can too much of that not be good for you?’
    She focused on regulating her breathing and restoring calm to her seriously overwrought system. ‘Some things,’ she said carefully, ‘are best just left. You know?’ This was definitely best left—for so many reasons. It had to stay as a fantasy. One that was finished.
    Now both his smile and eyes widened as silently he studied her expression. She toughened up under the scrutiny—determined not to reveal her weakness. Determined to beat her weakness. He knew how to play it—he’d just tried already. So she didn’t move a muscle as he stroked down her jaw with the back of a finger.
    â€˜You’re very strong,’ he murmured. ‘What made you so strong?’
    â€˜Nothing very exciting.’ She stood and walked away, trying to ignore the memories that ripped the scab from her heart and scalded her with hot, acidic guilt. They killed the temptation to succumb to him again. ‘But once my mind is made up, it’s made up.’
    â€˜Yeah,’ he said, flopping back onto the pillow, his smile sounding. ‘I can see you’ve got your game face on.’
    She walked out of the bedroom before that mask slipped and revealed her true feelings. That stupid desire for more —the more that she’d never get from a guy like him. She wasn’t going to waste time and emotional energy getting involved any further with someone who’d never offer what she really wanted. She’d done that once—spectacularly trashing her own life and hurting so many others. So why would she walk into another dead-end situation with her