Page 68 of Breaking the Ice

“Sam…” he protested but eased away.

She shivered as he withdrew, lamenting his absence already even as she scrambled out from under him and off the bed, exceedingly grateful for the darkness what with her open brahanging off her shoulders and her dress gaping to displayeverything.

“What are you doing?”

“Leaving.” All she had to do was find where she’d kicked her damn underwear.

“What?” He vaulted upright. “Sam… please don’t go.”

He sounded genuine but staying was not an option and, having located her underwear she escaped into his en suite. She didn’t bother with the light; the less she saw in the mirror the better. If only she could just disappear through the wall and find herself back in her apartment.

The lamp was on when she exited the bathroom and Nick was pacing. He’d obviously ditched the condom and shoved his arms into his shirt although he hadn’t done up the buttons.

“Don’t say anything, okay?” She held up a hand to stop his advance. “This is not your fault. It’smyfault. You were doing everything right… and I’m sorry I’ve been your only failure but that’s all on me, okay? And it’s going to be so weird between us now, which is why we shouldn’t have done this in the first place and I’m so sorry that I put it on you and that this has been such a disaster.”

“Sam… this is not a disaster. Sex between two people for the first time isn’t like it is in Hollywood. Please stay… I promise you won’t regret it.”

She shook her head. If it was this disastrous the first time maybe someone up there was telling her something? “I think it’s time to call it a night, Nick. Thanks for the cake.”

She stood for a second, unsure of the etiquette for running out on somebody who’d been buried deep inside you with no payoff and who was your boss and your friend. Then she just turned on her heel and left, as fast as her legs would carry her.

23

“Okay, spill. I want to know every dirty detail.”

“Oh Bec, remind me to never listen to you ever again.”

“You chickened out?”

“No. I wish I had.”

“Good lord. Okay… start at the beginning.”

“Let’s just say that his success rate took its first hit last night.”

“You couldn’t come?”

“Something like that.”

“Was he bad? Surely not? The man looks like he invented the G-spot.”

“No. He was amazing. I, on the other hand, was not.”

“Let me guess. You insisted on doing it with the lights off and obsessed about your body.”

Bec knew her too well. “Have you seen the women Nick usually dates?”

“He was with you, wasn’t he?”

“But… why? I order from the dessert menu first.”

Bec sighed. “How come you can sleep with guys who are so wrong for you with no issues and when someone so right comes along you let your insecurities screw everything up?”

“Because they may be wrong but they’re attainable. It’s okay for you Bec. You’ve always had a gorgeous figure and found your soul mate early. Women like me know the pecking order. Nick is not in my pecking order.”

“That is such crap.” Bec’s voice was loaded with exasperation. “Why can’t you see he is totally hot for you?”

“Why can’t you see he’s not?”

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