A_Little_Harmless_Fascination (30 page)

He grabbed her elbow. “Don’t you call yourself that.”

“Why not? It’s what you were thinking. It’s what the cops
think.”

He stared at her for the longest time. She stood there,
feeling ridiculous. Tears pricked at her eyes for the four hundredth time that
day. Why, oh why, couldn’t she be tough like Lara and Bridget? They would just
spit in this man’s eyes and tell him to go to hell, but Serena stood there.

“You’re really scared, aren’t you? I require the truth.”

“Yes, some man threatened to hurt me. It scares me. But I
think you scare me, too.”

His lips curved up. He wasn’t as gorgeous as Adam. There was
a starkness to his features that kept him from being beautiful, but when he
smiled, his face transformed. “You’re a smart girl. You keep on being scared.
And when I said you were beautiful, I meant it. You’re truly lovely, Serena.
The only problem is I know not to trust a beautiful woman. Now be a good girl
and get ready for bed. I’m going to sleep in the living room.”

He stepped away, leaving her a little breathless—and a whole
lot frustrated. She’d finally found a man who thought she was beautiful and
naturally he didn’t trust her.

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