was hidden behind his blue gaze.
He turned to a commotion forming around the dining table, and she checked out his profile. The chiseled jaw and proud chin. The tousled black hair hanging over his eyes, and the five o’clock shadow starting to show. Every little detail of his being called to her.
But she couldn’t have any of it. For several reasons.
She shook the inappropriate desire off, approached the dining table, and soon sensed his body hovering close to her. Why were all the efforts she made to stay away from him in vain?
A girl she didn’t know placed several boxes on the table. Gabriela rushed to the newcomer’s side and started opening them. The females at the party squealed and literally launched themselves at the cases.
“Aren’t they beautiful? Julie here makes them.” The hostess picked up a necklace and showed it around like they were at an auction.
“If you’re interested,” the jewelry maker said, “the price is on the tag.”
Natasha picked up a shiny ring. After examining it, she flipped it over and read the tag. “Ouch. Pricey.” A slow smile formed on her lips. “I have an idea.”
She told Julie about the fashion design program and how she could use the jewelry in one of her shows. The next one was scheduled for the middle of the next semester, but they could start planning for the show now. Thankfully, the girl seemed interested.
“Look at this one.” Jason touched her arm, and she spun to him. “Isn’t this just like the one you have?”
He held a bracelet of thin golden strands twisted together, forming diamond-shaped holes, with small, round amber stones where the pieces connected.
“Wow,” she whispered, a lump forming in her throat. “It is. Just like it.” She touched the bracelet. “But I don’t have mine anymore. I lost it two or three weeks ago.”
“Really? How did you lose it?”
She shrugged. “I was robbed.”
“What?” He stepped closer to her. His body loomed beside her, its delicious heat dripping into her senses. “How?”
“At the bus stop, one block east of campus. It was dark. The jerk took my money, my cell phone, and my bracelet.”
“Did he hurt you?”
She glanced up at him and saw concern shining in his blue eyes. There went the butterflies again, zooming around her stomach. Damn, she shouldn’t feel so attracted to him. “No, he didn’t.”
Jason took her hand, his palm warm on her skin, and placed the bracelet over her wrist. “It looks good on you.”
The lump in her throat became painful. “It was my mother’s. The bracelet. The last thing I had from her.” She examined the jewelry and spied the price. Just as she thought. It cost more than her monthly income. “I would love to buy this one, but as a broke fashion design student whose only money comes from a glamorous bookstore job, I can’t afford it.”
She set the bracelet down and moved away from the dining table and its shining goods.
Assaulted by a sudden wave of despair and shame, she rushed to the kitchen, sat down on a stool, propped her elbows on the table, and rested her head on her hands.
What was she doing? Never before had she broken down at a party. Besides Fallon, nobody knew about her past, and she intended to keep it that way. Forever.
Since that one night at the library more than six months ago, when Jason and she had talked for over five hours, she hadn’t thought of him the same way. Before, he’d been a hot professor with whom it had been fun to flirt. Then, he’d become a friend, a fixture, someone she could count on for a good laugh and serious discussions. And, she might never admit it out loud, but she loved his geekiness and enthusiasm over games and technology, and just how young and sexy he looked in hoodies and graphic T-shirts. And his goofy smile. He was twenty-nine and hot as hell.
If only he knew….
There was nothing to know. He was a nice guy and deserved a nice girl who could offer him more, much more. Besides, he was a
He turned to a commotion forming around the dining table, and she checked out his profile. The chiseled jaw and proud chin. The tousled black hair hanging over his eyes, and the five o’clock shadow starting to show. Every little detail of his being called to her.
But she couldn’t have any of it. For several reasons.
She shook the inappropriate desire off, approached the dining table, and soon sensed his body hovering close to her. Why were all the efforts she made to stay away from him in vain?
A girl she didn’t know placed several boxes on the table. Gabriela rushed to the newcomer’s side and started opening them. The females at the party squealed and literally launched themselves at the cases.
“Aren’t they beautiful? Julie here makes them.” The hostess picked up a necklace and showed it around like they were at an auction.
“If you’re interested,” the jewelry maker said, “the price is on the tag.”
Natasha picked up a shiny ring. After examining it, she flipped it over and read the tag. “Ouch. Pricey.” A slow smile formed on her lips. “I have an idea.”
She told Julie about the fashion design program and how she could use the jewelry in one of her shows. The next one was scheduled for the middle of the next semester, but they could start planning for the show now. Thankfully, the girl seemed interested.
“Look at this one.” Jason touched her arm, and she spun to him. “Isn’t this just like the one you have?”
He held a bracelet of thin golden strands twisted together, forming diamond-shaped holes, with small, round amber stones where the pieces connected.
“Wow,” she whispered, a lump forming in her throat. “It is. Just like it.” She touched the bracelet. “But I don’t have mine anymore. I lost it two or three weeks ago.”
“Really? How did you lose it?”
She shrugged. “I was robbed.”
“What?” He stepped closer to her. His body loomed beside her, its delicious heat dripping into her senses. “How?”
“At the bus stop, one block east of campus. It was dark. The jerk took my money, my cell phone, and my bracelet.”
“Did he hurt you?”
She glanced up at him and saw concern shining in his blue eyes. There went the butterflies again, zooming around her stomach. Damn, she shouldn’t feel so attracted to him. “No, he didn’t.”
Jason took her hand, his palm warm on her skin, and placed the bracelet over her wrist. “It looks good on you.”
The lump in her throat became painful. “It was my mother’s. The bracelet. The last thing I had from her.” She examined the jewelry and spied the price. Just as she thought. It cost more than her monthly income. “I would love to buy this one, but as a broke fashion design student whose only money comes from a glamorous bookstore job, I can’t afford it.”
She set the bracelet down and moved away from the dining table and its shining goods.
Assaulted by a sudden wave of despair and shame, she rushed to the kitchen, sat down on a stool, propped her elbows on the table, and rested her head on her hands.
What was she doing? Never before had she broken down at a party. Besides Fallon, nobody knew about her past, and she intended to keep it that way. Forever.
Since that one night at the library more than six months ago, when Jason and she had talked for over five hours, she hadn’t thought of him the same way. Before, he’d been a hot professor with whom it had been fun to flirt. Then, he’d become a friend, a fixture, someone she could count on for a good laugh and serious discussions. And, she might never admit it out loud, but she loved his geekiness and enthusiasm over games and technology, and just how young and sexy he looked in hoodies and graphic T-shirts. And his goofy smile. He was twenty-nine and hot as hell.
If only he knew….
There was nothing to know. He was a nice guy and deserved a nice girl who could offer him more, much more. Besides, he was a
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