"Exactly."
Again, he studied my face. "So, are you gonna tell me why?"
"Oh come on," I said. "I shouldn’t have to give you a reason."
"Is that so?"
"Sure," I said. "I mean, let's be honest here. You're probablygladI'm not beating down your door."
"Tell me, do I look glad?"
"Not really," I admitted. "But that's not the point."
"So, what is?"
"I'm just saying, I'm sure you've had plenty of one-night stands. Do you always explain tothemwhy there's no second night? Or third? Or whatever?"
"No. I don't."
"See?"
"Right." His voice was cool in the darkness. "So you're calling it a one-night stand."
"Exactly."
"In case you're not familiar with the concept," he said, "a one-night stand is usually with a stranger, someone you don't expect to see again."
"Yeah, well, I've never had one, so…" I gave a loose shrug. "Anyway, so, it's settled?"
"No," he said. "Not 'til you tell me why you're angry."
"Who says I'm angry?"
"I can see it in your eyes."
Great.And to think, I'd been doing such a good job of pretending like everything was normal. And maybe I had. But now, under his intense scrutiny, my pretense was crumbling fast.
I made a sound of frustration. "Has it ever occurred to you that I might be mad at myself?"
"For what?"
"Alright, let's say you really like ice cream. And there's this pint in the freezer." I hesitated. "No. Not a pint. Something bigger and better."
At those words,bigger and better, my stupid eyes dipped toward his crotch – not because I was looking to make a point, but because, well, my eyes just lost track of the conversation, that's all.
And now I felt like a total idiot, even as I jerked my gaze upward to announce, "And just for the record, I'm still talking about ice cream."
From the look on his face, he was far from convinced. "Is that so?"
"Yes. And I'm trying to make a point if you'll listen."
"Go ahead," he said. "I'm all ears."
No. He wasn't all ears.He was a glorious hunk of masculine perfection – with a perfect face, a perfect body, and a perfect knowledge of how to use all those assets to turn girls like me into jelly.
As I stared up at him, visions from our night together drifted through my brain. But it wasn't his face, or even his incredible body, that made my pulse quicken in the shadows. It was the way he'd made me feel, all warm and tingly, right down to my toes.
And now I was all distracted.Desperately, I tried again. "Alright, let's say it's the middle of the night, and there's this ice cream. But you're not planning to lick it…" I cringed. "I mean eat it."
