All Night Woman: A Contemporary Romance by Abbie Zanders Read Free Book Online Page A

around, but saw no others.  Didn’t she have any family?  Other friends?  Had no one else known – or remembered?
    Liz returned, looking much more comfortable in a pair of lounge pants and a loose top sporting a picture of a sad-looking Eeyore.  Her face was make-up free, her hair loosely braided and hanging over one shoulder. She smelled fresh, as if she had just taken a quick shower.  For one moment he felt a twinge of hope, but given her outfit, she might as well have taped a sign to her chest that said, “Not interested.”
    Even more surprising - his cock twitched at the sight of her.
    * * *
    A fter a quick shower (purely for her own benefit) and half a bottle of Listerine, Liz finally opted for comfort over fashion.  Miles had already seen her at her worst, and first impressions were lasting impressions.  Re-applying her make-up or donning a matching ensemble wasn’t going to change that.
    Besides, it’s not like she actually had a shot with this guy.  Men who looked, dressed, and smelled like him were way out of her league.  Miles Grayson made Troy look like a boy in comparison.  Dark brown-black hair, chiseled features, light blue eyes with the hint of crow’s feet at the corners.  And the way he filled out that Henley?  The man obviously knew his way around the inside of a gym.
    Her acceptance of the situation was both cathartic and liberating.  No false expectations, no ridiculous games.  She could relax and be herself.
    “Feeling better?” he asked, handing her a cup of coffee.  His lips quirked as he took in her change of appearance.  Hopefully it was based in amusement and not mockery.  After the night she’d had, that might just break her.
    Damn, the man looked good in her kitchen.  Self-confidence flowed from him, as if he would be comfortable anywhere.  His eyes drank her in from head to toe in one skillful sweep.  He could probably have a woman panting with just a look from those eyes.  As it was, her heart was pounding and she wasn’t even interested.
    “More comfortable, yes.  Less mortified, no.”
    Another quirk, the slight lift of a perfect brow.  “I take it tonight was not a regular occurrence?”
    “God, no,” Liz confirmed. 
    He gifted her with a half grin and amusement in his eyes.  “Male strippers aren’t your thing?”
    Not anymore .  Liz winced inwardly as she recalled the dancer’s stinging comments.  In the course of a few poorly-spoken words, they had managed to shatter every fantasy-based perception she’d ever had.  In the back of her mind, she had known that’s all it was – an image – but it was kind of like finding out that the money left under your pillow wasn’t from the Tooth Fairy after all.  She had enough reality in her life, thank you very much.  The loss of yet another fantasy was disappointing. 
    “I can appreciate a beautiful body as well as the next woman,” Liz said carefully.  “But I’m not one to get caught up in the fantasy.”  Liar . 
    “A realist, huh?”
    There it was again, that little twitch at the right corner of those nice, masculine lips.  Lips that looked soft and full-enough to kiss really well.  She sipped her coffee, opting not to respond to that.  She’d already written him off as an impossibility, so there was no use in torturing herself – or him – with any of that flirtatious nonsense.
    “So, you’re Brandon’s father.  He is a great kid.  You must be very proud.”
    He narrowed his eyes slightly, before his expression evened out.  Hmmm.  Somebody didn’t like being brushed off.   Well, tough.  She was too tired, too embarrassed, and too damn low in self-esteem at the moment to stroke his manly ego.  Or anything else, for that matter.  (Her lower core twinged in protest at that thought, but she tightened her ab muscles and did a quick Kegel to silence it).
    “I am.”
    “He looks just like you.  Adam says it’s a curse.”
    When Miles’ eyebrows shot up, Liz laughed.