“No. It’s not true, and I don’t lie.” He offered her an apologetic smile. “But even if I had, then it wouldn’t be a surprise. You’re a beautiful woman. It’s hard not to notice you.”
Despite herself, her heart picked
up speed at his compliment. “If you say so.”
“I do.” He reached out and moved a damp piece of hair off her cheek. His fingers were rough and dry against her skin. “I’d like to be your friend.”
She laughed nervously. “How many times do I have to say no before you get the hint?”
“I’m not sure.” He pushed her door open for her, holding it with a slight bow. “I’m a very persistent man. Ridiculously patient, too. It’s my only fault.”
On any other guy, those words would be annoying and cocky. On Eric Hamilton, they were just plain hot. “Even when a girl clearly doesn’t want anything to do with you?” she asked, trying to keep her voice caustic, but he was looking at her, and it was hard.
“I wouldn’t know. That’s never happened to me before.” The corner of his mouth tilted up. “Have a good night, Miss…?”
She started to close the door. “Good night, Mr. Hamilton.”
“Come on. At least tell me your name,” he called out.
“But you’re a smart, persistent, patient guy”—she shot him what she hoped was a screw-off-smile—“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
With that, she shut the door in his face, making sure to lock it. His soft laughter came through the barrier, and she collapsed against the cool steel, suddenly feeling overheated, even though she’d been shivering just moments before. She never should have said that. Issuing a challenge to a man like Eric Hamilton was like dangling catnip in front of a kitten.
He wouldn’t be able to resist pouncing.
Tugging his jacket, which she’d forgotten about, closer around her shoulders, she debated opening the door to give it back, but truth be told, she wasn’t sure she could endure another round of Eric-flirts-with-Shelby and walk away unscathed. She bit down on her lip, inhaling his lingering cologne, and pressed a hand to her stomach. There were butterflies in it. Frigging butterflies.
She’d have to get an exterminator to kill them.
Eric Hamilton didn’t get to give her butterflies.
Chapter Three
Eric rested against the wall outside apartment 609 for the third day in a row. Over the weekend, he tried his best to “run into” her casually, but as far as he could tell, she hadn’t left her apartment the whole damn weekend. Maybe she was hiding from him. Or maybe she was just antisocial. Or maybe she really didn’t fucking like him and was making that abundantly clear.
He checked his watch, grimacing.
Damn it, he’d wanted to be in the office early this morning to get some paperwork done, but instead he was hanging around outside a woman’s apartment like a love-struck fool.
This wasn’t like him.
When someone didn’t care for him, he shrugged and moved on. He didn’t give a damn what people thought and didn’t have time to try to change their opinion even if he wanted to. Yet here he was. Waiting outside a woman’s door.
Hoping to change her mind.
He didn’t know a thing about her. Her name. Her likes. Her dislikes—well, besides her immense dislike of him, anyway. When he had spoken to her, there had been this charge between them, and he was too damned curious about that to walk away now.
After the dinner with his family Friday night, he’d canceled his whole weekend, even his dates. As expected, Brett had asked Eric’s father’s permission to ask Anna to marry him, and it had been granted.
To be honest, after that, he’d needed a few days just to absorb the fact that his baby sister was going to be married and all he did was have meaningless one-night stands with women he would forget when the sun came up. This never bothered him before.
He didn’t want love.
But after his mystery woman commented on his habits, and before his sister got officially engaged, he needed a damn second to think. To be honest, when he dug down deep into his dark soul, he hadn’t liked what he’d seen. He still didn’t, days later.
He wasn’t sure how to fix what he didn’t like, or if he even wanted to, but he had a feeling the path to whatever lay ahead was through this woman.
And that scared the shit out of him.