Curvaceous Heart by Terri Pray Page B

violently. The sheet wrapped about her body, her fingers clutching it tightly. “I think I should get home, Barb will be worried about me and -- and I don’t want to be a bother to you. I can call a cab.”
    Hell, what had they done to her? The men she had been with, the ones in her life prior to tonight, had they treated her like a piece of dirt? A body to fuck then walk out on?
    “I’m not like them, I told you that last night. I won’t just walk out on you, Sue.” He walked back into the main room and picked up her clothing. “I’ll take you home, but I want to see you again. After work. Somewhere for coffee, or where you feel safe. But I do want to see you again, more than tonight, more than just one brush-off or after-date meet up. I want to see you as often as you feel comfortable. And if we don’t have sex again for weeks, even months, I’ll accept that. Shit, if you never feel comfortable having sex with me again I’ll understand and agree. I won’t like it but I’ll not push you.”
    Right, I won’t push -- much. I’m human, for pity’s sake .
    She looked so vulnerable standing there. “I want to believe you.”
    “Then at least give me a chance. I didn’t hurt you tonight, did I?” He handed off the clothes back to Sue and turned his back to give her a little privacy. “In fact, I’m pretty sure that I went out of my way to give you control.”
    “I know. I guess I’m just a little worried.”
    He smiled at the sound of the sheet being dropped to the floor. “Well, I’m guessing that more than a few dates have turned a little sour.”
    “Too many to count.”
    “Yet, you trusted me last night.”
    “Maybe that was a mistake.”
    “Maybe it wasn’t.” He didn’t turn around, not even when he heard her zipping the dress back up. “There’s only one way to find out. Besides, we do need to see each other again, even if it’s only to find the ones behind that blogger ring. I don’t think you want to let them get away with it.”
    For a moment she didn’t reply. But when she did there was a calm acceptance in her voice that hadn’t been there before. “You’re right. I don’t want them to get away with it.”
    “Then what do you want me to do?” He tried to keep the desperation from his voice. He had to keep his word, if she wanted to leave, to have nothing more to do with him sexually, he had to accept that.
    “Take me home and we’ll meet tonight. Not a dinner date though, coffee. The Starbucks just down the road from your office. A nice, safe, public place.”
    Well, it wasn’t a complete brush-off. It would give him a chance to work a few things out in his mind, and maybe discover a way to help regain her trust. “Sounds good to me. So will you let me drive you home?”

Chapter Twelve
     
    “What time did you get in last night?” Barb stared up at her from the kitchen table. “I know it was gone one as that’s about the time I crawled into bed. I presumed everything was all right or you’d have called, but I have to admit I was a bit worried about you.”
    “I’m sorry, it was pretty late. Things didn’t go exactly the way I planned,” Sue admitted and settled down in the spare chair. “I’m not sure what got into me though.”
    “Well from the looks of your hair, I’d say a good man.”
    Heat flushed across her face instantly. “Barb!”
    “Well, I’m right, aren’t I?” Her friend grinned. “Come on, tell me what happened. Is he good? I mean scream-all-night-and-into-the-morning good?”
    “I can’t believe you expect me to go into details.” Sue rubbed the sleep from her eyes, or rather a mix of that and gummy stuff that always appeared when she didn’t get enough sleep.
    “No, I don’t. But you can’t blame me for teasing you. You obviously enjoyed his company and that says a lot. But something doesn’t add up; you look as though you’ve been crying half the night.”
    “For an hour at least.” Sleep had come reluctantly once Alan had