Love Thy Neighbor Read Online Free PDF Page A

interest in me. In us. A few months before he told me it was over, he started acting funny. I thought it was because of pressures with work. He’d just made partner at his law firm. Or else maybe he was nervous about the wedding even though it was still five months away. But in the end, it turns out he was just plain bored. I guess I didn’t turn him on anymore. Maybe he wasn’t attracted to me.”
    “Then he’s blind. You’re a beautiful woman.”
    “You don’t have to say that.”
    “I know I don’t have to.”
    She tucked the compliment away to think about later. “He said he didn’t think he could sustain what we had for a lifetime. Sustain —he actually said that to me.” Her eyes welled up. Do not cry in front of this man. Just shut up . Nikki scolded herself but it did no good. “I was sucker punched. Never saw it coming…” She kept on talking. She supposed she was still in that phase of a breakup where she needed to talk. God knows Jenna was sick of hearing about it, and Dallas seemed genuinely interested. “I still don’t understand how he could turn his feelings off like that. How do men do that?”
    “You’re asking me?” Dallas placed his large hand over his perfect pecs, fingers splayed. He even had great hands.
    “Well, you’re a man.” That was an understatement. Not only was he a man, he was the most handsome, sexy man on the planet. She figured that if anyone could give her insight into the male psyche, it would be Dallas.
    He turned his full lips in a downward frown. “Guilty as charged. All I can tell you is that men are dogs.”
    “I was afraid you were going to say that.” She tried to smile. “But if that’s so, then tell me why I want him back so much.”
    “Nah, you don’t really want this guy back. Do you?”
    “God, yes.” The words came out like a reflex. She didn’t even have to think about it. “But do you want to know why I really want him back? Because this is all wrong. We’re supposed to be together. He doesn’t realize it yet, but he made a mistake. He’ll never find anyone as good for him as I was. I was loyal and supportive and loving…” She counted her list off on her fingers. “And I don’t get how he could walk away from everything we had.”
    “Well, if you ask me,” Dallas said, “Matthew was a fool to let you go.”
    She turned toward him, wondering if she’d heard him correctly. Their eyes locked in place for a minute, and she took that opportunity to admire her neighbor. It wasn’t every day you got this close to someone with his kind of looks. His complexion was flawless, his jaw square and strong, and his eyelashes were longer than most women’s. He was mesmerizing.
    She blinked, forcing herself to stop staring. Her cheeks heated, and she wanted to fan herself. I hope I wasn’t drooling. Now wouldn’t that just top off this day from hell. “So, ah, what about you?”
    “You mean in terms of women?”
    “Well, yeah.”
    “I believe in traveling light.”
    “What does that even mean?”
    “It means that I’m not in the market to be tied down.”
    Nikki bit down on her lip. “Why is it you men always think women are out to get you?”
    “Because that’s usually what happens. You meet someone and before you know it they’re hung up on getting married and starting a family.”
    “But isn’t that whole idea? Isn’t that what everyone wants? I mean eventually?”
    “No, not necessarily. Not me, anyway.”
    “Then what’s the point? Don’t you ever get lonely?”
    “I don’t have time to be lonely. How’d we get on this topic, anyway?” He stood up and pushed a few buttons on the panel. Nothing happened.
    “What do you do?” she asked, changing the subject, playing dumb, pretending that she and Jenna hadn’t stayed up half the night Googling everything there was to know about her neighbor.
    “I’m a photographer.”
    “Oh, really?” She feigned surprise. “That’s interesting.”
    “Not really. Could be a