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“Does it matter?” My tone says, ‘fuck off.’
He looks a little shocked and then surprises me. “Yes, because it’s mine.”
I turn and look at him. “You’re a horrible liar.”
“No, I’m serious.” He steps forward and points to the little gold plaque next to the painting. Nathan Smith. “That’s me.”
“Sure, Smitty.”
“You don’t believe me?” He looks shocked and there’s a big beautiful smile on his face that says as much.
“No.”
He smiles and works his jaw, before reaching into his pocket. I wish he’d leave, but he doesn’t. He stands there with me, a step too close. “Here.” He hands me his ID. NATHAN SMITH. Damn, even his driver’s license picture looks perfect. Mine looks like aliens were chewing on my toes.
I hand it back to him. “Lovely.”
“You aren’t going to give me a second chance, are you?”
Turning, I smile up at him. “Not a chance in Hell.” I walk to the next piece and fold my arms over my chest as I look it over.
Nathan is trailing me and smiling that cocky grin that guys wear when a woman shoots them down. He mirrors my pose, which makes his arms look lickable. “Exactly what part of Hell has to freeze over before you give me another try? The foyer? The basement?”
I don’t want to laugh, but the idea of Hell having a basement is funny. I get a picture in my head of an old guy burying bodies at the bottom of a staircase, next to a creepy furnace. It amuses me. “Level nine, ya know, the basement.”
He presses his hand to his heart. “That’s a long ways down.”
“Yes, but the fall was fast. I bet you hit your ass on the way down.” I turn and look at his backside and then up into his face. Damn, he’s hot. I remember the way that body looked naked and try to push the memories away.
“Nice,” he grins and I realize that I’m flirting with him. I remember what Beth’s brother said and try to walk away, but he follows me to the next painting. “I could say something inappropriate about your ass, but I think that’ll only bury me further.”
I laugh and look over my shoulder at him. “You are never seeing this ass again, or any other part of me, so walk away. You’re good at that.”
“Ouch.” He grins harder. “You realize what you just did, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I told you to go to Hell and leave me alone.”
Nathan steps into my space and looks down into my eyes. As the music pounds through my body, his scent fills my head. “That’s not what your eyes say. Or your lips.” He lifts his hand and touches the center of my lower lip lightly.
I can’t move. He’s so beautiful and my body responds to him so quickly. My heart thumps wildly as I tear my eyes away. “Yeah, well, then you need a hearing aid, old man. You might want to get your vision checked, too, because I think you’re a little bit on the blind side.” I scratch my temple, overtly using only my middle finger.
He doesn’t comment. Nathan continues to beam at me and ignores my crude gesture. “Only because of your radiant beauty.”
“Oh, my God! You did not just use that line on me.”
“I think I did.” He steps so close to me that his chest brushes mine. A jolt of electricity shoots through my body. Bastard.
I don’t move, but I should. We’re way too close. “What’s the matter? Didn’t have a drawing of me to whip out this time?”
He leans in kissably close and whispers, “I could whip out something else I know you like.”
I flinch like he slapped me and growl, “Fuck you.”
“Anytime.” He gives me that boyish smirk and I want to rip it off his beautiful face.
“I wasn’t offering.”
“You don’t have to. I can tell that you want me.”
