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Unable to resist, Sophie wound her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. His strong arms banded around her waist, pressing her against his broad chest.
“Mmm, feel free to greet me like that every time I come over.” He lifted his head, his eyes hooded.
Heat flooded her cheeks, and she retreated a step. “Let’s go. Prepare to be blown away by the movie snack of the century.”
Determined to keep things light before “the talk,” Sophie swallowed the lick of panic bubbling in her gut. She’d accomplished next to nothing all afternoon, instead wrestling with how much to share about Doug.
The angel on her shoulder whispered “tell him everything” because if they were going to have any kind of relationship, even friends-with-benefits, honesty and trust were essential.
The devil urged her to zip it. What if he lived up to his Player of Laguna reputation and simply wanted a fling? They’d only known each other a few weeks. What if she scared him off with a premature talk?
“Is that a blush? Popcorn à la Sophie is that decadent?” His lips twitched.
“Just a little warm, that’s all. And yes, it’s decadent.” Damn fair skin betrayed her every time.
After they arrived at the luxury theater, they settled into their reclining seats, and Sophie poured peanut M&Ms into a tub of popcorn large enough to feed a family of four. When Nick sampled her concoction, his eyes closed in pleasure, and they dug in. He kept her hand clasped in his, and she lost herself in the dark humor of the film. The evening seemed normal. Simply a happy couple at the movies.
When they returned to her cottage, Nick walked her to the door and paused. Waiting on a signal from her.
“Come in, there’s something I need to talk about with you.” Her stomach roiled, all the candy and popcorn mixing with her jangled nerves.
He followed her inside and Zack offered his moral support––rubbing against her and purring like a motorboat.
Nick caught one hand, tugged her close, and brushed his lips against hers. “That sounds serious. Everything okay?”
She ducked out of his arms and headed to the couch. His touch scrambled her brain and stymied her best intentions. Perching on the sofa’s edge, she motioned for him to sit on the far end. Sweat prickled on the back of her neck.
“I don’t know how to even bring this up or if I even should bring it up at all. But I need to be honest with you about my past…” She sucked in an enormous breath and slowly released it.
His brows drew together. “Your past?”
Her heart hammered like she’d hiked Mt. Everest without a training plan. “First, I want to reiterate that I’m not trying to lead you on. I’m not playing games.”
“Okay…” Nick’s expression was unreadable.
“So you asked me before why I left San Diego and holed up in the cottage. There was more to it than just being ready to write my book.” She paused and cleared her now-parched throat. “Actually, things were pretty traumatic and I kind of ran away.”
He gestured with one hand for her to continue.
“I was engaged, and my fiancé jilted me at the altar. I left because I didn’t want to face anyone, especially my ex. He’s a total ass.”
His bottle-green eyes narrowed. “Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No, no, not how you think. He wasn’t physically abusive. But he was a pathological liar. After he failed to show up for the wedding, I learned he’d been having an affair for almost a year.”
“Sophie, I—”
She held up a hand. “Let me finish. Please. So I quit my job, dug into my savings, and decided I wouldn’t date for a year and concentrate solely on writing my book. You’d be better off not getting involved with me.”
Nick leaned forward. “We’re already involved. That asshole sounds like he did a number on you. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, that’s what he used to say too. But obviously something was wrong, or he wouldn’t have cheated.” A wave of sadness filled her. “I’d understand if you bailed. I’m just not sure if the timing is right.”
“Sophie.” He shifted across the couch, pulled her onto his lap, and snuggled her into the circle of his powerful arms.
She buried her face into the warm skin on the hollow of his throat. His clean masculine scent was incredible, and his hot hard body burned into her.
“Your ex is a prick. It’s him, not you,” he murmured against her hair. “I think you’re incredible, and I’d like to keep seeing you.”
