Page 47 of False Pretenses

“Of course not.”

“You didn’t sleep with me because—”

The intensity of her scowl cut off his words. “I’m not selling my

body for anybody! The sex was good, and I did it because we were attracted to each other. I don’t deny that, but that’s just where it has to end. I’m sorry, Nathan. I like you, but there can’t be any more between us. Please, I want to go home.”

So there it was. The first time he’d offered a woman more, and she turned him down. He couldn’t say he didn’t see it coming. In her own way, Alyssa was prejudiced, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change it. He would miss her. Even as she walked ahead of him to the house, he saw his hope ebb and die, and defeat weighed heavy on his shoulders.

Chapter Thirteen

“So you turned him down?”

“Trin, don’t look at me like that,” Alyssa complained and shifted the food on her plate from one side to the other. They sat having lunch, but Alyssa hadn’t taken more than a couple bites of the juicy steak. She really should since her cousin footed the bill. “I did the right thing for me.”

“The right thing?” Her cousin shook her head, disbelief plain in her expression. “You click with the sexiest man alive—Curtis aside. He’s rich, generous, and wants to be with you, and the right thing to do is turn him down? I don’t get that. Please explain it to me.”

Alyssa grunted. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

Alyssa spread her hands, trying to think of the right words. “We come from two different worlds…”

“And you’re intimidated by his.”

“What!”

“You feel like you don’t fit in and never will.”

“I don’t get why you’re saying that, Trinity. I thought you were on my side.”

Her cousin said nothing to this.

“Okay, let me explain. We went to this party, and he said it was a beach party. I assumed it would be on the beach. It was in a ritzy hotel, and everybody was dressed up. Then I went to a real beach party, and it was fun. I even walked on the beach at night with this guy that turned out to be crazy, but aside from that—”

Trinity burst out laughing. “Aside from the crazy?”

“I’m saying I had my views, and he had his. A couple times we didn’t see eye to eye on how I should respond to certain things.”

“Girl, please. Curtis and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot, and he is so not rich. Neither am I. That’s people. Admit that you’re scared to be hurt again, and because Nathan is who he is, you feel like it’s more likely you’ll get hurt.”

She slumped in her chair and let her fork clatter to her plate. “I hate admitting all of that is true, but it is. Something bad happened to him in the past, and I feel like he can’t be serious because of it.”

“Did he say that?”

“No.”

“Then don’t assume. You like him?”

Alyssa bit her lip and dipped her head. She shut her eyes and recalled the words Nathan spoke when he asked her to be his girlfriend. He never said he liked her let alone loved her. Not that she expected love this early in the game. This early? Should she expect any more, or better yet, try for any more? Maybe like Trinity had inferred, she’d chickened out before even giving the man a chance. From the start she judged him and found him lacking. Not in the looks or the ability arena, but in the boyfriend material sense. She was afraid, and no one could fault her for that. Everyone at some point had been hurt, and many were scared to try again. The biggest issue she had was that she…I love him. Already. This soon. I must be crazy. And yet, she could tell. With Trinity’s words, she knew she would give him a chance. That is, if he still wanted her after she’d shut him down in the islands.

“You think he’s a real good guy?”

Trinity rolled her eyes. “I’ve known Nathan for three years. He likes women, and he’s never without a partner.”

Alyssa cringed.

“But!” She reached across the table and took Alyssa’s hand in hers. “I’ve never seen the man so busted after having a fling with one, and he’s been grouchy as hell at the office lately. I’m thinking it has something to do with you. So my question is, what are you going to do about it?”

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