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She so wasn’t going to go there. Not with Matthew. Not with anyone. She didn’t talk about her sordid foster life prior to the McCulloughs taking her in.
“Does your sister live close?”
Letting it slide that she had answered his question with one of her own, he nodded. “About a twenty-minute drive from the hospital. She’s just down the street from my mother. It’s great being near them.”
“Why have I never read that you were from Memphis?”
“If you read anything about my background, which is unlikely, it would have said I was from Arkansas. I grew up in a small town just over the state line. Until the past month, I’ve never technically lived in Memphis or Tennessee.”
“I see.”
“I’m not sure you do.”
Her gaze met his and she saw things that would be better not seen.
Because she saw what he’d admitted to—jealousy, possessiveness, desire, longing.
She’d told him he had no right to feel those things, yet she’d never stopped feeling desire for him. Longing for him.
Lord help her if he ever showed up with another woman; she’d feel possessive, jealous.
Which was ridiculous. She should not want Matthew.
He’d been a fling.
He’d taken her job.
She was pretty sure spending time with him would destroy everything she held dear.
Yet she wanted him anyway.
“You were right to say no to dancing with me, Natalie.” He looked at her as if he were going to gobble her up.
She was probably looking at him as if she wanted him to.
“Why’s that?”
“Because the moment your body was next to mine everyone in the room would have known how much I want you. I’ve never been good at pretense or games, and denying whatever this is between us is getting more and more difficult.”
She glanced away, not sure what to say. She wanted him, too, but admitting that sure wasn’t on the tip of her tongue.
“This whole thing is impossible.”
“What thing?” he asked.
“You being here. You working at my hospital. You. Just everything about you.”
He studied her, then, grinning, asked, “Do I agitate you?”
Why was he grinning? What was up with his question? “What?”
“You sound agitated.”
She frowned. Had he lost his mind? “I am beyond agitated. You annoy me no end. Go away.”
But rather than him looking hurt or offended, Matthew’s grin widened. “You want to get out of here with me?”
Had he not heard a word of what she’d said?
