Identity Unknown by Terri Reed Page A

most women in my position. And it isn’t so much offense I feel at your charm. I just distrust it.”
    He conceded her point by inclining his head. “Probably. And you’re wise to distrust charm until you’re certain it’s genuine.” A wry expression spread over his handsome face. “It 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.”
    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.
    She’d 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 life—to be sheriff. Not some lovesick, wimpy woman trailing after a man with no memory.
    â€œI would never purposely hurt you,” he said softly, as if he could read her mind. “That’s why I think you need to cuff me to the chair and stay far away from me.”
    Probably good advice. But every instinct rebelled at the thought. “Not happening. If you want to talk, we can talk. But I’m not chaining you to a chair without a reason.”
    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.
    â€œSo,” he finally said. “Spill.”
    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. “It’s not a big deal,” she said, hoping to play nonchalant. “I fell in a love with a jerk. We broke up. I’ve been gun-shy of romance ever since. End of story.”
    â€œI doubt that. What made him a jerk?”
    â€œHe was a player. Had me on a string along with several other women. He’d led me to believe I was special, that he cared about me.” She let out a mirthless laugh. “I should have known better. I did know better, but I was blinded by his charm. He’d talked me into setting aside my values and faith with empty promises of forever.”
    â€œOuch. How did it end?”
    She grimaced, remembering the scene she’d made. “I broke it off. In the quad. Very loudly.”
    Nathanial chuckled. “Good for you. You don’t strike me as the type to quietly slip away. You’re a woman of action.”
    That made her smile. “I haven’t seen him since that day I told him we were through, but I heard he went on to Georgetown and became a lawyer.”
    â€œI’d make a crack about lawyers, but I don’t believe in generalizations,” he said. “Not all lawyers, just like not all men, are made from the same cloth.”
    What cloth was he made from, she wondered.
    â€œAnd you haven’t dated since the jerk?”
    She shrugged. “A few dates. Nothing serious.” No one had made her heart beat faster. But Nathanial did. She didn’t 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.
    â€œWhat’s Sean’s story?”
    She tucked in her chin at the sudden change in topic. Did he know about Sean’s crush on