most women in my position. And it isnât so much offense I feel at your charm. I just distrust it.â
He conceded her point by inclining his head. âProbably. And youâre wise to distrust charm until youâre certain itâs genuine.â A wry expression spread over his handsome face. âIt takes a strong and intelligent woman to enter a field that has traditionally been dominated by men. And you, Deputy Audrey Martin, are a strong and intelligent woman.â
If he only knew. Shame and guilt rushed in to kick her in the gut. She dropped her gaze and once again tried to put distance between them. He lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles, effectively stopping her in her tracks.
She swallowed and watched his nicely formed lips place feather-like touches against her skin. He was torturing her without inflicting pain. Instead, he stirred yearnings deep in her heart.
Yearnings for someone to make her feel special. Someone whom she could be herself with, not always have to be brave and tough. Someone who would be true, genuine.
Sheâd be foolish to look for that with this man. There was too much unknown about him. And she needed to remember what she really wanted in lifeâto be sheriff. Not some lovesick, wimpy woman trailing after a man with no memory.
âI would never purposely hurt you,â he said softly, as if he could read her mind. âThatâs why I think you need to cuff me to the chair and stay far away from me.â
Probably good advice. But every instinct rebelled at the thought. âNot happening. If you want to talk, we can talk. But Iâm not chaining you to a chair without a reason.â
This time when she tugged on her hand, he released her. She moved to the pile of blankets. She wrapped one around her shoulders and then handed him one. He did the same. They sat on the floor with their backs propped up against the wall. They munched on trail mix and beef jerky.
âSo,â he finally said. âSpill.â
Her jaw clenched. Her teeth sank into an almond. Her mouth went dry. She took a swig of water, debating how and what to say. âItâs not a big deal,â she said, hoping to play nonchalant. âI fell in a love with a jerk. We broke up. Iâve been gun-shy of romance ever since. End of story.â
âI doubt that. What made him a jerk?â
âHe was a player. Had me on a string along with several other women. Heâd led me to believe I was special, that he cared about me.â She let out a mirthless laugh. âI should have known better. I did know better, but I was blinded by his charm. Heâd talked me into setting aside my values and faith with empty promises of forever.â
âOuch. How did it end?â
She grimaced, remembering the scene sheâd made. âI broke it off. In the quad. Very loudly.â
Nathanial chuckled. âGood for you. You donât strike me as the type to quietly slip away. Youâre a woman of action.â
That made her smile. âI havenât seen him since that day I told him we were through, but I heard he went on to Georgetown and became a lawyer.â
âIâd make a crack about lawyers, but I donât believe in generalizations,â he said. âNot all lawyers, just like not all men, are made from the same cloth.â
What cloth was he made from, she wondered.
âAnd you havenât dated since the jerk?â
She shrugged. âA few dates. Nothing serious.â No one had made her heart beat faster. But Nathanial did. She didnât understand her attraction to him. Was it the allure of mystery surrounding his loss of memory? Or was he the one her mother had always said would come along and make her rethink her life? She frowned at that thought. She had no intention of rethinking her path.
âWhatâs Seanâs story?â
She tucked in her chin at the sudden change in topic. Did he know about Seanâs crush on
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