“Whichever. That table of hunky male flesh has you hot and bothered.” She gestured with a flip of her hand toward the corner occupied by the Chandler brothers.
“Don’t point,” Charlotte said.
“Why not? Everyone else in Norman’s is staring at them.”
“That’s true,” she said, then realized she’d missed her opportunity to deny having seen them. Ignoring the brothers had been her plan. At least until she’d eaten something and steeled her defenses against Roman’s unsettling impact.
She folded her damp palms, one on top of the other. “But not me. I’m immune.”
“You always were. Or you pretended to be,” Beth said with the wisdom she’d lacked in her youth. “Not that I understand in the least.” She shook her head. “Never had, never will.”
Charlotte hadn’t ever told her best friend the truth about why she’d rejected Roman. In high school, she’d had her defenses a mile high, and next thing she knew, Roman had turned from Charlotte’s rejection to Beth’s willing arms. Despite the pain and the jealousy, Charlotte had encouraged her friend’s interest, pretending to be immune, as Beth had just said. Then they’d graduated and Roman had taken off for parts unknown.
Charlotte hadn’t asked how serious their relationship had been. She often told herself it was out of respect for Beth’s privacy, but the truth was more selfish than that. Charlotte hadn’t wanted to know. And unlike the news of her plastic surgery, Beth had been discreet on the topic of Roman.
But times had changed and Beth was engaged to another man now. Roman was so far in her past, Charlotte contemplated tackling the topic tonight.
“He’s still really good looking,” Beth said.
Charlotte changed her mind about a heart-to-heart talk. “Hey. If you’re still interested in Roman, have at him. If Dr. Implant doesn’t mind, then I don’t.”
“Liar.” Beth tossed her napkin on the table and folded her arms across her chest, a smile pulling at her lips. “I saw the way you looked him over before he turned and noticed you. And I saw how you shifted your gaze and walked right by, like you didn’t even see him there.”
Charlotte twisted uncomfortably in her seat. “Is it too late to ask, see who where?”
“Chicken.”
“We all have our weakness, so quit bugging me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go to the ladies’ room.” Charlotte made a quick escape without a glance in Roman Chandler’s direction. But as soon as she hit the narrow hallway that led to the restrooms, she wiped her damp palms against her gauzy skirt.
Five minutes later she’d touched up her lipstick and reminded herself of all her achievements, so if she absolutely had to make polite conversation with Roman, she’d be able to do so with poise and ease.
With a new attitude, she pushed open the door and walked smack into Roman’s broad chest. The incredible scent of musky aftershave and potent male surrounded her. Aroused her. She sucked in a surprised breath.
As she stepped back on unsteady feet, he grabbed her forearms with both hands. “Easy.”
Easy? Was he kidding? His palms felt warm, solid, and too good on her bare skin. She looked up into his blue eyes. “This is the ladies’ room,” she said inanely. She sighed. So much for poise, sparkling conversation, and wit.
“No, this is the hallway. The ladies’ room is behind you and the men’s room is down the hall.” He grinned. “I should know. I practically grew up here.”
“I need to get back to my table. Beth’s waiting. Beth Hansen, you remember her, right?” Charlotte rolled her eyes This was getting worse and worse.
To her chagrin, he laughed. “Well, at least now I know you remember me.”
She didn’t pretend to misunderstand him and couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I was late, in a rush, Beth was waiting.” She lifted her hands, then let them fall to her sides.
“So you didn’t mean to ignore me.”
A burning flush rose to her face. “No. I … I have to go. Beth’s waiting for me. Again.”
His rough hand brushed her cheek and a tremor of awareness shot through her body, a quiver he couldn’t possibly miss. “I’ll let you get back to your table as soon as I ask you a question. It’s been ten years and the attraction between us is still going strong. When are you going to give in?”
When hell freezes over came to mind, but she clamped her mouth shut. Because she didn’t really mean it, for one thing, and because he didn’t deserve such a crushing rejection, for another.
She licked her dry lips. “When are you going to give up trying?”
He grinned. “When hell freezes over.”
He would have to mimic her thoughts. She leaned back against the wall for support and protection, but it meant little when Roman took another step forward, locking her body between the wall and his lean, hard, masculine frame.
Years melted away as his hands bracketed either side of her head and his lips hovered near her jaw. The warmth of his breath against her cheek and the pressure of his body against hers felt tantalizingly good, making her wonder why she’d resisted him for so long. Her eyelashes fluttered closed and she allowed herself to enjoy the erotic sensations pulsing through her veins. For the moment, she reminded herself. No longer.
He was attractive and out of reach, like the exotic destinations she researched and dreamed about but would never visit. Because she wasn’t her father and her life was here. Stability and a solid future were tied to this town, to having roots. But Roman’s lips nuzzling at the soft spot between her jaw and her ear made her want to forget safety and routine. Warmth trickled through her veins, her panties grew damp, and she wanted so much more than she’d let herself admit before.
“Have dinner with me on Friday.” His throaty voice reverberated in her ear.
“I can …” His lips settled on her earlobe, his teeth nuzzling exactly the right spot. White hot arrows
