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Did the fool think he could have her back?
Not that Matthew had any say in the matter, but Natalie was smarter than to take back a man who’d cheated.
Only, she wasn’t telling the guy who still held her hand to get lost, and Matthew knew first-hand that she had no problems whatsoever with saying those words.
CHAPTER TEN
“YOU’RE LOOKING ESPECIALLY beautiful tonight, Nat.”
Before Natalie realized what Jonathan was doing, he’d grabbed her hand and kissed it in what he clearly hoped would appear as charming.
Natalie was not charmed.
Shock reverberated through her. Wasn’t he engaged to the woman he’d been cheating with, or had her friends been mistaken?
Either way, Natalie wanted nothing to do with him, and attempted to jerk her hand free, but his hold tightened. “I can’t say it’s nice to see you,” she said.
His smooth smile didn’t waver and neither did his hold. “Nat, Nat, Nat. You aren’t still bitter about what happened?”
“No.” She wasn’t bitter. “Bitterness would imply I care. We both know that you screwing around on me did me a big favor. Let my hand go.”
“Ouch!” he exclaimed, but didn’t look as if Natalie’s words fazed him. Instead of letting go of her hand, he brought it to his lips again and pressed another kiss to her fingertips. “I miss you and that sharp wit of yours.”
Stunned by his public show of affection when they really hadn’t been into a lot of PDA when they were together, she stared at him in confusion, and more than a little irritation.
“You have to be kidding me. Aren’t you and what’s-her-name engaged? I know I saw her with you earlier. Why are you even over here talking to me? You should be with her.”
He tsked. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
“You aren’t engaged?”
His gaze didn’t quite meet hers; instead he studied where he held her hand. “I didn’t say that.”
Natalie rolled her eyes and managed to pull her hand free.
“Tell me you don’t miss me.” He took a step toward her and Natalie automatically took a step back.
“That you don’t come home,” he continued, stepping closer yet again, “and wish I was there in our bed.”
“Ask me to do something difficult because this one is way too easy.” She lifted her chin a little, looked him square in the eyes, and said, “I don’t miss you, and I’m glad you’re not in my bed.”
“I don’t believe you.” His utter arrogance amazed Natalie. How had she not realized what a smug idiot he was?
“I don’t care what you believe. Not anymore.” She wasn’t sure she ever had. Which was sad. She’d lived with him, had sex with him, hoped he’d be the one to love her and never leave her. She had cared about him once upon a time.
“You don’t miss our nights together?” He loomed, his expression sneering, suggestive, as if he really believed her to be pining for him to return. “Aren’t you lonely, Natalie? Missing a man’s touch?”
When had he backed her into a corner? And how had he done so without her realizing? She opened her mouth to tell him what a fool he was and to push past him, but before she could someone answered for her.
“Not in the slightest.”
Natalie jumped at the male voice, at the strong hand that slid around her waist and settled possessively on her low back as Matthew’s body inserted itself between her and Jonathan.
“I assure you she’s not lonely,” he continued, donning a smug look of his own. “But then, only a fool would believe a woman as beautiful and passionate as Natalie would be lonel
y.”
Natalie didn’t know whether to slap Matthew or to hug him. Hug him because Jonathan’s smugness had completely vanished. Slap him because they were in a room full of their peers and she’d just as soon no one wondered what was up with her and her sexy new heart surgeon boss.
