Blindsided (Sentinel Securities) Read Online Free PDF Page B

to inspect his shoulder. With a start, she realised her hands were still on him and that he'd gone very still. She snatched them away, flustered, and moved from his side, taking her seat once more. "Okay, so you were right—nothing seems too bad…considering."
    She couldn't bear to look him in the face. God only knew what he must be thinking of her. Why didn't she just listen to him? Why did she have to make a complete—well built— stranger get half-naked in her kitchen? Moron!
    Soundlessly, he put his shirt back on, and Briella took a hasty sip of her coffee to cover the awkward moment. "You look like you've had an interesting life."
    Nash sent her a brief glance as he finished tucking in his shirt.
    "That's a lot of scars for one person."
    There were scars and there were scars . His were a strange mix of surgical and other, less professionally treated ones. The kind she often saw on footballers and fighters. Neither occupation held much appeal for her— especially the latter.
    "I spent some time in the Army."
    This was interesting, better than she'd first suspected, and she eyed him curiously, "How much time?"
    "Most of my adult life," he grinned.
    "You must have gone through quite a bit to get that assortment of scars."
    "I was usually in the thick of the action when I was in the service."
    She could tell her questions were making him a little uncomfortable and decided to let him off the hook, not that he'd shown her the same consideration as he'd relentlessly pumped her about her personal life earlier. "So why have you really come over here tonight?"
    "I told you, I wanted to make it up to you for this morning."
    "I know what you told me, but I want to know what the real reason is."
    "Why would you think there was another reason?"
    "Because you don't seem the kind of man who would waste time on someone like me."
    "What's that supposed to mean? Someone like you?"
    "Call it a good guess. You have an expensive bike, you wear expensive clothes. My guess is you like to live life in the fast lane, push your limits and don't have time to waste on things like suburbia and family life."
    She saw that her comments struck home and that he was trying to come up with some kind of argument. "Let me save you worming your way out of this. I've had my share of men who think they're invincible. I've had my share of men who are always trying to prove to everyone else how tough they are, and I've definitely had my share of men who like to push their luck, riding around on motorbikes. If I were remotely interested in getting involved with anyone again in the near future, I can assure you, it would not be with someone who reminds me of my past mistakes."
    "I don't know what the last guy did to you, but I don't think it’s fair to lump all men in the same pile as him."
    “I’m not lumping all men in the same pile—just the ones who like danger and motor bikes," she said with a small twist of her lips.
    "I also have a car," he offered with an abashed smile.
    "You've done your civic duty, so thank you for making sure I was all right. You are hereby released of any further guilt, obligations and responsibility."
    "You're one tough cookie."
    "You have no idea," she assured him, taking a step back to indicate he should get up and leave.
    "Well, I can see I'll just have to work harder to prove you wrong then wont I?" he shrugged, without taking his gaze from her face.
    The phone rang, and Briella sent him one last exasperated glare, before crossing the room to retrieve the handset. Turning her back on him, she recognised the voice of the nursing unit manager on the phone and immediately focused on the conversation.
    She needed to find her roster details, and mouthing, "I'll be back in a minute,” to the man in the middle of her kitchen, she hurried to her bedroom to search through her handbag for the information she needed.
    ****
    Nash waited until she left the room before doing a quick search of the kitchen. He had no real idea what he was