Page 4 of Taming a Heartbreaker

Like she’d told Leslie, she didn’t intend to be just another notch on Redford’s bedpost. Their sexual chemistry had been there from the first. It was there now, simmering between them. He couldn’t avoid her forever, and no matter what he thought, she truly believed they were meant to be together. She had time, patience and a belief in what was meant to be.

She would not pursue him. When the time was right, he would pursue her. She totally understood Leslie’s concern but Carmen believed people could change. Even Redford. His two best friends were married with families. She had to believe that eventually he would want the same thing for himself.

Was he starting to want it now? Was that why he’d been staring tonight after two years of ignoring her? Her heart beat wildly at the thought.

When everyone began clapping, she broke eye contact with Redford and saw that the dance between Nadia and Dillon had ended. Now the first dance between Jaxon and Nadia would start. As tempted as she was, she refused to look back at Redford, although she felt his eyes on her. The heat from his gaze stirred all parts of her.

When the dance ended, Jaxon leaned into Nadia for a kiss, which elicited claps, cheers, and whistles. As the wedding planner invited others to the dance floor and the live band began to perform, Jaxon and Nadia were still kissing.

Carmen smiled, feeling the love between the couple. She wanted the same thing for herself. A man who would love her, respect her, be by her side and share his life with her. He would have no problem kissing her in front of everyone, proclaiming she was his and his only. He would be someone who would never break her heart or trample her pride.

How could she think Redford St. James capable of giving her all those things when he was unable to keep his pants zipped? Was she wrong in thinking he could change? She wanted to believe that the same love and happiness her sister Chandra shared with her husband Rutledge, the same love Leslie shared with Sloan, and Nadia shared with Jaxon, could be hers. Even her parents, retired college professors now living in Cape Town, were still in love.

People teased her about wearing rose-colored glasses, but when you were surrounded by so much love, affection and togetherness, you couldn’t help but believe in happily ever after. She was convinced that everyone had a soulmate. That special person meant for them.

Unable to fight temptation any longer, she glanced back at Redford. His eyes were still on her and that stirring returned. He smiled and her heart missed a beat.

Then her breath caught in her throat as he began walking toward her.

Chapter Two

Easy-breezy. That thought ran through Redford’s mind as he moved toward Carmen. He felt her response all the way across the room. He saw it in her light brown eyes and noted it in the way she stared back at him. Granted, he doubted she would agree to a quickie in one of the closets somewhere in Westmoreland House, but as far as he was concerned, she was ripe for the picking.

She’d had two years to change her mind about that marriage foolishness. Other than acknowledging her presence whenever he saw her, he had not given her any reason to think he supported that nonsense. If the meaning behind him avoiding her for two years hadn’t been clear, then that was her problem, not his.

Sloan had reminded him that Carmen was Leslie’s best friend. He loved Leslie like a sister, but like he’d told Sloan, Leslie should have talked her best friend out of her foolishness long ago. According to Sloan, Leslie had tried, so as far as Redford was concerned, Carmen had been dutifully warned. There was nothing left for Leslie to do but stay out of his and Carmen’s business. They were both adults and old enough to do what they wanted to do.

The people Carmen had been standing with earlier were out on the dance floor and she’d been left alone. Coming to a stop in front of her, he extended his hand. “May I have this dance, Carmen?”

He wondered if she was aware that her smile contained a spark of sexual energy. She placed her hand in his. “Yes.”

The moment their hands touched that energy increased, and a ball of need burst to life inside his stomach. He wasn’t surprised by the reaction, just by the magnitude of it. Blood pounded at his temples and for the life of him, he couldn’t stop staring at her face...especially that smile. It was as if her beauty was hitting him up close and personal, and had him spellbound. How was that possible when he’d never let a woman get to him?

They reached the dance floor where others were moving to a slow song. Drawing her into his arms, he said, “I think us dancing together is long overdue.” From the look he saw in her eyes, it was obvious she agreed. Her next words confirmed it.

“You’re the one who’s been avoiding me, Redford.”

There was no need to deny it when she was right. “I had my reasons for putting distance between us.”

She lifted a brow. “You had your reasons? Does that mean they aren’t there anymore?”

“It means I’ve abolished any misgivings I had in the past.” She could take that to mean he’d surrendered to her foolishness, if that’s what she chose to believe. However, that’s not what he’d said. What he meant was any misgivings about sharing her bed were gone.

“I’m glad you’re open to change, Redford.”

Open to change? Did she honestly think that one dance with him meant that? If she did then she was totally wrong. Just like he didn’t expect her to change her optimistic, cheerful attitude, she shouldn’t expect him to change his “bed as many women as you can” frame of mind.

“When it comes to change, Carmen, I’ve heard it’s the one constant.” No need to tell her that’s why he’d changed his mind and added her back to his “must do” list. Life was too short not to do those things you enjoy. His pleasure was bedding women.

“I understand you’re a college professor,” he said, starting a different line of conversation.

She smiled proudly. “Yes, I am. I come from a long line of them. My grandparents on both sides, my parents and my sister. I guess you could say education is in our blood.”

He also knew from Sloan that she and Leslie had met when Leslie had left the University of Alaska Anchorage to attend Howard University in Washington, DC, where the two had become roommates. Carmen was an economics professor at Georgetown University. “You like teaching?”

The way her smile brightened gave him her answer, but he wanted to hear it anyway. He liked the sound of her voice. “Yes. I love teaching. I started out being an elementary school teacher while working on my PhD. Once that was done, it took me two years before I was hired as part of Georgetown’s faculty. That was four years ago. I love it there and hope to get tenured in a few years. My home is right in the neighborhood. That makes it convenient, and I don’t need a car.”

“Tell me about your family.” He knew from Sloan that she had a sister and her parents were alive.

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