Page 30 of His Off-Limits Christmas Gift

And just like that, I was a liar. Nothing was okay anymore.

Because as I considered the words I told her, I realized that I wanted to be that lucky man.

I wanted to have this woman. I wanted Rachel all for myself. Something about staring into her doe eyes, feeling the pull of desire between us… it was undeniable how much I was lured to her.

She could end my spell of swearing off women.

11

RACHEL

Eventually, we gave up our table. Nate didn’t blink at leavingthatgenerous of a tip, and I knew that the server wouldn’t have a chance to grumble about missing out on any other customers being seated. It was only because of the slightly uncomfortable chairs that we both gave in to leaving.

If not for those rigid high-backed chairs, I wouldn’t have minded staying well into the evening with him. Nate was fun, which shouldn’t have surprised me. What did throw me off as a shocker was how well we clicked.

I had a drier humor, but he could bend my way and meet me in the middle there. He preferred to joke and be goofy, but I could compromise and lighten up, too.

We were opposites, but over those few hours where we had an exaggerated and overly long lunch, we fit.

When we left the BBQ place and began walking back, though, I was stupidly unaware of how late it was.

“It’s this dark already?” I said once we were both on the sidewalk.

“We lost track of time,” he admitted.

“I’m not complaining,” I corrected.

“Good.” He smiled smugly. “Because I had fun.”

I did too. He distracted me from thinking about how Kyle dumped me. He prevented me from dwelling on the inevitable challenge I’d face in seeing my family again. And somehow, he’d kept me from wondering when I’d get a lesson on how to find a man.

Because somehow, along the lines of talking and laughing with him, I wanted to tweak the agenda. I wanted a crash course on how to find and get a man exactly like him.

He’s not available.I had to repeat it as we walked. He carried on chatting about something trivial but mildly entertaining. Yet, as I tried and failed to listen, I couldn’t tune out the stubborn thought of what it’d be like to be with him for real. No posing as a mentor and mentee. No pretending I’d want someone else.

Every time my hopes got up high, though, I remembered all too well that he’d sworn off women. Dejected, I tried to get past the thought that Nate was basically cutting off any women from mattering in his life again.

It didn’t seem logical. Not with the way he’d send those heated looks my way. Or that mischievous smirk when I told him that women in the office were gossiping about his dick size or his ability to use it.

If he was swearing off women, then that was just proof he wasn’t actually flirting with me, right? I was just… a pathetic woman he wanted to teach how to find someone else.

That just doesn’t sound right.

At this rate, I’d be kicking myself for entering any damn deal with him. While I fully intended to hold up my end of the bargain and go to that dreaded party with him, to support him, I wasn’t sure how to go through any sort of mentoring. It would be too cruel to be “taught” by the man I wanted but also the one who wouldn’t want me.

All because of one horrible woman.It was all Yasmin’s fault. No one else’s. She’d broken his heart and betrayed his trust so badly that he was now done with women at all.

“You know what I mean?” he asked, laughing.

I blinked, caught in not paying attention.

“Um.” Now I felt bad.

“You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said,” he joked. He lightened the accusation by taking my hand and swinging it. “Where’d you go?”

Our gloves were layers between our fingers, but still, this connection lifted my spirits.

I was, achingly and involuntarily, aware when a man wasn’t interested. Now that I knew Kyle was gay, and had been the whole time we were dating, I could clue in to those little differences.

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