Page 10 of Breaking the Ice

“Why not?”

“How about because 99 per cent of your customer base are women and they come here for books writtenbywomenaboutwomen.”

Surely, he had to know that? What was he even doing here if he didn’t know that…

5

Nick blinked as Samantha stared at him like he was slightly – or possiblyvery– dim. He suppressed the urge to smile. She was something else. His infrequent visits home hadn’t permitted more than brief conversations with his neighbor as they’d fitted their keys into locks or rode the elevator or exchanged pleasantries at Birdie’s. They were friendly but she always seemed to be going to, or coming home from, work, so his impressions of the woman in the apartment next door had been scant at best.

And then he’d bumped into her at Birdie’s graveside and her obvious love for his grandmother had left him with a warm buzz of solidarity.

This morning she was definitely making an impression as she scrolled through a gamut of expressions. She’d been pensive, then prickly, then her cute pink mouth had softened as she had breathily proclaimed her approval of his alterations, and now she was being what?

Snobbish?

“Hey.” He tutted. “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”

“Thanks.” She put the book back on the shelf. “I think I’ll pass.”

“Snob,” he teased.

Her eyes widened a little like she hadn’t expected him to tease before she recovered and shot him a quelling look. “Discerning.”

“Well, my grandfather, Burt, loved them and he practically raised me on them and if I’m gonna be stuck in a romance bookshop all day then at least I can have something to read and besides, I’m trying to attract some male clientele.”

“Yeah? In that case, put a TV in the corner and run ESPN all day.”

Nick laughed. “Or you could apply for the job.” He pointed to the sign he’d posted in the door. “That should bring them in.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Right.”

Her voice oozed derision and Nick frowned at the disbelief in her tone. Was she serious? Samantha Evans was gorgeous and curvy and had the cutest mouth. In fact, that mouth could be quite distracting should she take him up on his offer. She had thick, wavy hair which, for once, she wasn’t wearing tied back, and the most entrancing gray eyes he’d ever seen.

Plus, she was as bright as a spark. And God knew he loved a woman who could keep him on his toes. “I’m serious. They’d be lining up.”

She snorted. “Why?”

“To catch a load of those curves.”

She stared at him like she was finding it difficult to compute what he was saying. “Let me tell you something, Nick. Men don’t want curves. Men want stick creatures and Barbie dolls.”

“This one doesn’t.”

Nick liked a woman with some meat on her bones and wasn’t afraid to eat in front of him. Someone who enjoyed food.Someone who didn’t count lettuce and celery as a food group. “I like real women.”

Samantha raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never seen you with arealwoman, Nick Hawke, and I’ve seen quite a few coming in and out of your apartment door. You should really just get a revolving one fitted and be done with it.”

The thought was amusing but Nick didn’t think she’d appreciate him laughing. “I’ve dated all shapes and sizes. Not my fault you’ve only seen a limited selection.”

“Limited selection?” She shook her head. “Jesus…”

He did laugh then. “Women love me, what can I say?”

She looked him up and down in a way that Nick thought was supposed to be dispassionate and disapproving and should definitely not turn him on, but kinda did. “Of course they do.”

The thought that this verbal ping-pong might be a regular feature should she come work for him caused a kick in his pulse. “Anyway…” He dragged the conversation back on track. “As I was saying, there’ll be men belting down this door, just you wait and see.”

“Yeah, well… don’t hold your breath.”

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