Page 26 of Breaking the Ice

“Mmm.” Yes, that was it. “Wish they could bottle that.”

“I’m sure the fragrance companies would if they could.”

True. And they’d make a fortune. Although they had digressed. “I don’t suppose you’ve ever been dumped?” No doubtbeing let gofrom a relationship was completely foreign to Nick.

“Of course I have. In my rookie year I had a girl upend a bowl of spaghetti over my headin a crowded restaurantand announce that I had a very ugly disease to all and sundry.”

Samantha laughed, trying to imagine cool, sexy Hawkeye with spaghetti sauce and noodles sliding from his hair. “What on earth did you do?”

“Ididn’t do anything.Shethought we should get married.”

“And did you give her any reason to believe that’s what you wanted?”

“It was ourthirddate.”

She laughed again at his indignation. “Well I can beat that for humiliation. Easy.”

“Oh yeah?” He folded his arms. “I’m all ears.”

Samantha opened her mouth to tell the story then realized it was rather personal. And embarrassing. She shut it again, her cheeks warming as she rose and collected the coffee mugs.

“Sam?”

Ignoring him, she took the mugs through to the back room and made a big production of washing them, aware that Nick had followed her and was waiting patiently in the doorway.

“Sam?” he prompted again. “I told you mine. You can’t just start and not finish.”

She flicked a glance at him lounging against the jamb like he owned the place. Which, she supposed,he did.“I’m sure you’ll survive,” she said derisively.

“You know I’m never going to let it drop.”

Samantha looked at him standing there with his arms crossed and remembered the incessant teeth jokes. “Fine.” She took a deep breath, the heat returning to her face. “He said that I wasn’t very good in bed and there must be something wrong with me.”

He went very still in the doorway, his brows pulling down heavily over his eyes. “So… let me interpret that for you. He broke it off becausehecouldn’t satisfyyou.”

“Well… I don’t think he quite saw it like that.”

Nick laughed. “I bet he didn’t. And this guy… he passed the kissing test?”

“He did.” Vance had been a good kisser. “His problem was he had a really big—” She stopped abruptly, the warmth intensifying across her cheeks. “Well… you know… he was… well endowed. You get what I mean?”

“Yes, Sam.” He pushed off the jamb. “I get it.”

His voice lowered to a tease which complimented his lazy prowl in her direction. “But I think he thought that was all he needed to… get thejobdone. He kept asking me what was wrong with me.” She shook her head. “He was my second lover. I was inexperienced.”

Nick halted just out of reach, his hip leaning against the sink edge. “I hope there have been others that have proven him wrong.”

Samantha’s blush deepened as she picked up a tea towel to dry the cups.

“Sam? Therehavebeen others?”

She faltered. “Yes.”

“But?”

Part of Samantha wanted to sink into a hole in the ground. The other part wanted to talk to him about it now the subject was on the table. Nick was her friend, after all, right?Anda male. It might be good to get his perspective.

“Sex has always been kind of… ho-hum for me.”

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