Tempting Nora Read Free Page B

embarrassed.
    " Oh, really? I think you meant something by it. The massive amounts of head shaking you were doing suggested as much." He passed her the glass of milk. "Tell me, why are you so violently against getting my phone number?"
    Her stomach sunk. Gideon had been watching her for longer than she thought. That meant the man had seen everything, including Robert mouthing "Get his phone number!" and her frantic hand gestures that would make an onlooker assume she was having a seizure.
    As she flushed, she realized the gorgeous man was still watching her, waiting for a response.
    "I just wouldn't see the point of getting your phone number," she said.
    "Why not?" He looked genuinely curious.
    "Even if you gave me your number, I wouldn't want to go on a date with you." She shrugged and took a sip of her milk.
    The man froze, his caramel eyes wide. It took her a moment to realize that he felt insulted.
    "Yo u wouldn't want to go on a date with me?" He wrinkled his nose. "Why not?"
    " You don't seem like a bad guy," she said quickly. "I'm just not interested in you."
    Dig yourself a deeper hole, Nora! She definitely sounded like she was insulting him now.
    "You aren't interested in me?" he said with unflattering disbelief.
    Geez , he made her sound like an ugly leper who was turning down a dazzling prince. Maybe she wasn't sorry she'd made it sound like she didn't like him.
    "Nope, " she said without hesitation.
    "May I ask why not?" Gideon still stared at her as though she'd grown a second head.
    For a moment s he debated lying her butt off, but then she decided against it. After all, she wasn't an untruthful person.
    "You look like trouble to me." She hesitated before licking chocolate from her finger. "I don't do trouble."
    "I look like trouble, huh?" A roguish grin re-appeared on his face. 
    "Yeah." She nodded. " You and I seem like different people. I work at a tea store and spend my free time relaxing at home. You look like you live for parties and women. We aren't compatible."
    "But you find me attractive, don't you?" he asked.
    "Naturally." For some people, beauty was a fact and not an opinion. "But I don't care about that. I want to date somebody who is loyal and supportive."
    Somebody who won't abandon a daughter who desperately needs him .
    "Well, it's a good thing I don't want to date you either." Gideon's eyes twinkled.
    She was horrified . All of that ranting for nothing. Abject humiliation, anyone?
    "Oh, well…" She shrugged. "That's good, then."
    " Yeah, but I do want something else," he said.
    "R-really?" Why did she suddenly feel faint?
    Gideon inched his chair closer to hers. Stunned, she stared straight into his beautiful eyes. Every time she peered into them, she was reminded of caramel sauce drizzled over ice cream. His eyes were delicious. On top of that, she wanted to run her fingers over his skin. No, wait. What's going on in my head? I never think like this. Never! She was not the sort of woman who was tempted by men. Yeah, she found them attractive, but she was rarely overwhelmed by inappropriate thoughts. Now things were different. As Gideon leaned closer, she felt as if the world was going still. Everything about him was perfect from his sweet breath to his toned muscles. Heck, even his eyelashes—so thick they should have been feminine but weren't—tantalized her, making her want to draw nearer.
    She let out a shaky exhale as Gideon seized her hand and ran his fingers along the inside of her wrist, tracing the light blue veins. The single touch was enough to make her feel as though a fire was burning within her core.
    A dangerous, all-encompassing fire. One that had the potential to destroy her.
    "Even though I don't date, I find you very attractive." He smoldered at her. "I noticed you the moment I walked into the bar. I love your curves, your button nose, your full lips. You were right about me—I'm trouble. But trouble can be fun. Do you want to have some fun with me, Nora?"
    His words