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open up.”
    He seemed to watch her with a burning focus that radiated through the thick lenses of his glasses and pierced her soul. An image of Clark Kent skittered in her vision. Geeky, clumsy, socially awkward, but underneath, hotness galore. And she could do it; she sensed a wealth of appeal behind his veneer that she ached to unearth. But none of it would occur if he were stuck on how women needed to be treated and didn’t want to change. She waited for his answer and sensed it was a turning point.
    “I understand. That makes sense. That’s what the consensus of magazines stated.”
    “Magazines?”
    “Yes. When I decided it was time to get serious about a relationship, I studied every cultural aspect to get an idea of what women wanted and expected from a man.”
    Her eyes widened. “So, you read Cosmopolitan . What else?”
    He ticked them off on his fingers. “ Marie Claire , Self , Glamour , Oprah , and Men’s Health . I read all the articles and took the surveys. That’s why I’m so frustrated. I keep getting different reactions that just don’t follow the format.”
    Damn, had she ever met a man who tried so hard in his hunt for a wife? Her heart softened. She had to give him credit. He may be a hot mess, but he had the right intentions. “That’s what I’m here for. I’ll help you figure it out. Let’s talk about your family. Is your brother married?”
    “Oh, no, he’s not interested in settling down. Says there are too many women out there to restrict himself.”
    Uh-oh. An older brother giving bad advice was a nightmare. “I see. Are you two close?”
    “Yes, we live together now. He raised me when our mother took off. Dad was too overwrought to deal with us, so my brother took over.” She noticed he told the facts calmly, as if giving a PowerPoint presentation. A twinge tightened her chest. She bet his brilliance had always set him apart from the crowd, and a supportive, loving mother could have helped.
    “I’m sorry.”
    His shoulders lifted. “No need. We turned out fine. Could’ve been a lot worse.”
    He meant it. Many men either buried the past or used it as a crutch to explain away bad behavior. Ned accepted his circumstances and moved on. Admiration cut through her. Yes, he possessed character. She could work with that.
    “How about past relationships?”
    He shrugged. “Not many to talk about. I graduated early, got recruited by NASA, and worked nonstop for a number of years. Went out a bit here and there but rarely got past the third date or so. Most women were bored by my career once they discovered I wasn’t an astronaut. Now that I’m back in New York, it took me a while to get settled. I moved in with my brother and delved into a new project, so I haven’t had the chance to meet someone yet.”
    She struggled with the urge to ask him about his sexual past, then scratched it off the list. Too personal for now. She doubted he was a virgin, but it sounded as if his bedroom antics had been . . . limited.
    “I’m not a virgin.”
    Kennedy couldn’t remember the last time she had blushed, and swore this wouldn’t be the first. “I didn’t ask.”
    His lips twisted in a self-deprecating smile. “I heard your thoughts loud enough. I’ve had sexual experiences. They just usually lead to a parting of ways because of our lifestyle differences. If I felt lacking in that department, I’d find a way to fix it.”
    Her nerves tingled. Odd to hear a man talk so honestly about sex in a way that wasn’t defensive. She bet he’d be open to all sorts of suggestions with one simple focus: a woman’s pleasure. Like he attacked his job and his life, the bedroom would only be another obstacle he wanted toovercome. She scribbled on her notepad and cleared her throat.
    “Understood. Let’s talk a bit about women. I made note of your survey answers. You don’t seem to have many strict requirements. Are you open to ethnicity? Age? Backgrounds? What type of woman do you imagine