Bargain in Bronze

“I’m serious.” She leaned closer. “You have everything going for you. You should have been caught long before now.”

Eduardo looked into her deep blue eyes. “I don’t smile enough.”

“You smile lots,” she said, surprised.

Tonight he had. Around her. But actually he spent so long locked in labs and on his rounds, he hadn’t socialized properly in eons. There was little point. No woman could cope with the hours and the intensity of his job. He’d tried once, but it had failed horrendously. In the end, his ex had detonated a jealousy-fueled bomb.

Since then, there’d only been occasional, brief flings. And he didn’t think it fair to enter into a relationship when he had no intention of doing the kids thing. “I get bored really easily,” he said, in partial honesty. “And I’m quite boring.”

“I don’t think you’re boring.”

That was because she was the kind of person who found something interesting in everything.

After Graciela and Gabi returned to their table, Eduardo had a hard time concentrating. He wanted to leave. He should have taken Nina back to his apartment after the pub and skipped dinner altogether. Except watching her delight in all those courses had been more pleasurable for him than the meal itself. And that meal had deserved its three stars. But now his body seemed to have bulked up—his muscles bunched too big for his skin, his heart pounded too hard against his ribs. He wanted to be alone with her. In her.

Thank heavens Gabi finally stood, insisting that she accompany Graciela to her hotel.

Eduardo caught his old childhood playmate’s eye. “Thank you,” he mouthed to her. He and Gabi had always understood each other. If his parents had ever managed to have the second child that they’d so badly wanted, he’d have loved it to have been a sister like Gabi. As it was, he cared about her in a brotherly way. She understood pressure and she understood loss.

They walked out of the restaurant together. Eduardo put Graciela and Gabi into the nearest taxi. As it took his irritating aunt away, he sighed in pure relief and turned to look at Nina.

Her eyes were very blue as she stood on the pavement, watching, waiting. Electricity arced between them—yet he was so tightly wound, he couldn’t seem to move.

He felt it before he heard it. The vibration, then the buzz of his phone. He knew who it was before he saw the screen. Between two rings of the phone, reality crashed back. His couple of hours of fun and escape were over and he hadn’t gotten anywhere near what he’d wanted. He answered.

“Don’t worry, I’m on my way,” he reassured Max. “It’s no bother at all.”

He put his phone in his pocket and got a grip on himself. He couldn’t touch her to say good-bye—if he did, he wouldn’t let her go and that wouldn’t be fair—to her or his patients. Or himself. There was only so much he could take tonight and his limits had been tested once already.

He hailed one taxi, then a second. She said nothing, simply listened and watched and he knew from the determined tilt of her chin that she understood what was happening.

“I’m sorry,” he said briefly. “It’s work. I have to go.”

“Of course.”

She was all dignified understanding, but he caught the flash of something in her eyes. He didn’t want to wonder what it was.

He instructed the first cabbie and handed him a wad of cash that would more than cover the cost of the journey. When he stepped back, he found she’d already climbed into the car. His body rebelled—wanting to climb in after her.

But he couldn’t, and really, it was a good thing. Tonight hadn’t been like the occasional fling he had with a random woman he met in a bar, where it was carefree and easy. This had been far more fun than that. But the want was too intense. Those kisses earlier? Stopping had almost killed him.

Eduardo figured the extreme need had its roots in tiredness. The bone-deep exhaustion he now felt magnified his emotions. So that meant, even if he could take her home now, he wouldn’t be at his best and no way was he giving her substandard satisfaction. She was bruised. She needed way better than that.

It just wasn’t meant to be and there was no point in trying to explain. It just wasn’t. He lifted a hand in an apologetic wave. Their two taxis went in opposite directions, just as they were in life.

But on that long ride back out to the Docklands, Eduardo burned with regret.

Chapter Four

Wasn’t it Cinderella who left the ball early? Not Prince Charming. Where was the fun in that? After his admission in the taxi, and how he’d looked at her throughout dinner, she’d begun to think they’d go way past midnight. She’d felt the tension in his muscles. And his heat. She’d even had an extra strong coffee to see her through—though she wouldn’t have needed it. She’d been high enough on anticipation. She’d thought she was on the brink of an amazing conclusion to the night. But her first fun, flirty experience ever had been cut short with no proper explanation at all. Work had called? Really?

Tired, grumpy, and frustrated, Nina unnecessarily polished the glass cabinets at the shop. Any victory over Corey’s friends now felt false and meaningless. The exquisite taste of the food last night had become a bland memory. Worst of all, those dreaded doubts had crept back. Had he kissed her that passionately? Or had all that heat been hers alone? Had he even received a work summons? What if he’d just programmed his phone because he wasn’t really that into her and was trying to let her down gently?

Thankfully, he hadn’t been on the footpath this morning when she’d strode down to catch the Tube. Of course, she’d left home ultra early to be sure to avoid him anyway, but she hadn’t drawn breath until she’d passed the spot and was on the train with a million other veiled-eyed commuters who ignored each other. No flashmob on the line first thing on a Monday. It was suits all the way.

She swiped the glass cabinets even harder and then glared as something else gleamed, this time on her finger. She was still wearing his ring. Its sparkle mocked her. She only had it on for safety’s sake and was mortified that she’d jumped in that cab still wearing it, but she’d wanted to escape as quickly as possible to avoid more awkwardness. She didn’t want to wear it, but she couldn’t leave it in her overcrowded flat. There were so many random strangers staying there now it wouldn’t be safe. Until she could get it back to him, the best place for it—unfortunately—was on her finger.

The day dragged. She sold a few things, but not as many as usual. Not even Stella bustled in to make her laugh. Finally, it was ten minutes from closing and she couldn’t wait to get out of there. The beads and bracelets and symbols of romance really weren’t that pretty today.

She glanced up as someone came in—her brain sharpened as soon as she registered that sculpted physique. She lifted her chin, calm. Ready.

“Oh, I’m so glad you dropped by.” She breezed. Hooray for mentally rehearsing all day. “Here’s your ring. My cab pulled away so quickly last night I didn’t have the chance to give it to you.”

Eduardo ignored the diamond ring in her outstretched hand. Instead, his eyes remained riveted to hers. Damn if he didn’t look sharp—all iconic masculinity.

“What would you suggest a guy get for a girl when he’s sorry he had to end their date early?”

Momentarily frozen, Nina had to tell herself to take a breath. Then she lifted her hand higher. “I wouldn’t suggest he buy anything.”

“That wouldn’t work?” He still ignored the ring. He still gazed at her way too intensely.

She shook her head.

“What would?” He paused for only a half-second. “What about another date?”

Nina swallowed, wishing her heart would stop skipping. She curled her fist to hide the sudden tremor in her fingers. She hadn’t expected this. She’d thought he’d grab the rock and go. But no. Rather, he was moving ever closer and looking fiercely determined. “I fly out next weekend.” She reminded him—and herself.

&nb

sp; “More reason to say yes, don’t you think?”

So the arrogance was back. The certainty in his actions. The silent but unmistakable purpose. “Maybe more reason to say no,” she countered.

“And always wonder?”

Her brows stretched to the sky. “It’s going to be that great a date?”

“Better.” His wicked smile flashed.

He was flirting with her? After his Houdini number last night? Her heart thudded faster—as erratic as always in his presence. But she wasn’t going to make it that easy for him.

“Won’t that mean more regret?” For what could have been?

“It’s not possible to regret good things.”

She wasn’t so sure about that, but she was already losing the battle to stay cool. He looked as if he’d had as little sleep as she had. Something glittered in his eyes—unreadable emotion, leashed but devastating. And she was so drawn in—badly wanting to believe it was what she hoped.

He walked around the counter, put his hands on her waist and tugged her toward him. “Come home with me.”

“There’s no one we have to parade in front of tonight.” Her voice faltered as she weakly argued. “There’s no need for us to be together.”

“There’s every need. More than there ever was last night.” He lowered his head. “I need you.”

His mouth was on hers—hot, caressing, demanding. That’s what she wanted. She was thrown straight back into the fire of the night before—exploding her reserve, liquefying her senses. His arms tightened around her and she thrust her fingers into his hair to hang on. Bent backward, she was overwhelmed by the force within him—his desire. It torched hers. All doubts disintegrated in the raw heat between them. Elation burned instead—that she’d not dreamt it. He did want this as much as she did.

Somehow, she clung to one last thread of sanity and found the strength to push him away. “I need five minutes to lock up.”

“I’ll wait out there,” he said harshly. “Otherwise, things will get out of control.”

Things were already out of control. She’d never wanted a man like this before—so quickly, so physically. And she wanted the experience. It didn’t matter that it would only be the once—that was way better than never.