Dating and Other Dangers Read Online Free PDF Page B

impress me so I’ll say you’re a great guy and how wrong all those women are.’
    ‘The circumstances don’t matter,’ he arguedcalmly. ‘I bet you’re a tough woman to impress at the best of times.’
    ‘What makes you say that?’ She shrank into an even tighter ball.
    His gaze locked on her, and she stiffened at the dispassionate, intensely assessing expression.
    ‘I think you live life according to a list of rules,’ he said. ‘Many lists of rules. Like the first date protocol you posted on your forum. You have rules for everything—like the uptight HR assistant you are. And anyone who doesn’t meet those rules is an auto-fail. There’s no room for human error in your life.’
    ‘That’s not true.’ Her life was strewn with human error—mostly her own.
    ‘No?’ A faint smile. ‘You’re saying sometimes you don’t follow your own advice?’
    ‘The little advice I offer comes from my own experience. I’d be a fool to repeat my past mistakes.’
    He nodded as if she’d confirmed something. ‘So you’ve turned into a coward.’
    Nadia’s blood heated even more. ‘I’m not a coward, but I am cautious. And I’m not going to apologise for that.’
    ‘Yes, but it strikes me you’re a very intelligent,capable woman. Maybe you should have more faith in yourself.’
    ‘Oh, please.’ He was back to the complimenting already? This was all part of his charm attack.
    ‘Seriously, you should give your instincts free rein—let yourself go.’
    ‘Oh, you would say that,’ she said witheringly. ‘That’s your aim—for women to let down all their defences
in your arms
.’ She shook her head. ‘So you flatter and listen and smile your charming smile—and wait for the cherries to fall right into your mouth. It’s all so damn
false
.’
    His jaw dropped, then he shut it again. Had she actually hit home with that one?
    ‘All right then.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I won’t try to impress you.’
    She should have felt a spurt of satisfaction, but the wretched thing was he didn’t need to
try
to impress. His very existence did that—he was beyond blessed with physical attributes, and had a voice that demanded attention. Even worse, some of what he said was of interest. Okay, compelling. She’d bet he was a brilliant lawyer.
    Why was her stupid radar tuned to men filled with maximum virility when the simple presence of such sensual drive meant theycouldn’t possibly keep it zipped? Giving in to her instincts would have her as easily obtainable as all the other women he’d encountered. So she’d have to fight against them all the harder.
    ‘So tell me about the movie.’ He switched to neutral ground.
    ‘I’ve been meaning to see it for ages.’ She hid her smile as she thought of what was in store.
    They got to the small independent theatre and were directed to the smallest viewing room. There was only them and one other person at the screening. She’d done a whole five minutes of research to find the worst-sounding movie on in London, and within three minutes of the film rolling she knew she’d succeeded.
    It was in French, with subtitles so crooked they were unreadable, and about the tortured lives of an artist, his wife and his lover. And it was torture to watch. Lots of scenes with the artist painting—they literally got to watch paint dry.
    After only ten minutes Nadia was beside herself with boredom and hoping Ethan was going as insane as she was. But she wasn’t fidgety just because the on-screen action was mind-numbing. She was hyper-aware of him.They were too close in this darkened space. And the worst of it was the film was just over three hours in duration—that was why she’d picked it. But now she had to sit so near to a man who attracted her body as much as he repelled her mind. And three hours was beyond torture.
    The artist scratched his thin brush on canvas for another hour or so. Oh, it was so bad—but it would be worth it. Ethan would hate it as much as she did.