Bachelor Number Four by Megan Hart Read Free Book Online Page A

compliments.
    erectorset1241: Would I do that?
     
    She laughed despite herself. Yes. You haven’t changed.
     
    erectorset1241: Everyone changes, Arden.
     
    Yes, she typed. They do.
     
    erectorset1241: Have you?
     
    That was a loaded question. She couldn’t automatically presume to know the answer he wanted, so she went with truth. More games, annoying but so familiar. Her heart raced, just a little. That was familiar too.
     
    shesewsbuttons: Of course. I’m older now. Got married. Had kids. You know, living the American Dream. You?
    erectorset1241: I’m not the angst-ridden, melancholy playboy you remember.
     
    She smiled as the words appeared on the screen. No?
     
    erectorset1241: Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not that bad boy anymore.
    shesewsbuttons: I’m not disappointed. Bad boys get into trouble.
    erectorset1241: Trouble like trying to convince you to sneak away with me for some afternoon delight?
     
    What a bold bastard. It was the perfect time to tell him the truth about Jason, to see how quickly his flirting ended when he learned she was, indeed available for afternoon, morning or evening delight. He’d only ever wanted her when he couldn’t have her, and Arden all at once didn’t want him to stop wanting her. Not yet. It felt too good to flirt. She thought of her dream, and how his eyes had locked with hers while they made love.
     
    shesewsbuttons: Trouble exactly like that. But you don’t even know me anymore.
    erectorset1241: Saw your profile picture. You haven’t changed.
     
    Oh, but she had, right? She was a different woman now, wasn’t she? So why then did she feel like everything with him was still the same and always would be?
     
    shesewsbuttons: I doubt your wife would approve.
    erectorset1241: You should know better than that. I’m not married.
    shesewsbuttons: Girlfriend?
    erectorset1241: Ha, ha. Hell no.
    shesewsbuttons: Why hell no?
    erectorset1241: I don’t have time for a girlfriend.
    shesewsbuttons: But you have time to sneak off to motel rooms with married women?
    erectorset1241: I could make time for that.
     
    Arden drew in a breath, frowning, and stared at the screen. Well, I can’t. I’ve never cheated on my husband, I would never do something like that. With anyone. Ever.
    The cursor blinked at her for a long moment before his reply showed up.
     
    erectorset1241: Understood. What makes you think I’m asking you to?
     
    Had she missed something? She scrolled upward to reread the previous text. It was easy to misinterpret words unaccompanied by expression and inflection, but she was pretty sure she hadn’t mistaken his flirting.
     
    shesewsbuttons: I figured that was a pretty clear invitation.
    erectorset1241: You need a better sense of humor then.
     
    She went from amusement to anger as fast as it took her to read those eight words, and that, too, was a familiar memory of her time with him.
     
    shesewsbuttons: My sense of humor is fine.
    erectorset1241: Then maybe a reality check. We were over more than twelve years ago. I’ve moved on.
     
    Now that out-and-out pissed her off, and her fingers flew across the keyboard, uncensored.
    I didn’t know you could get over something that never existed. Ouch, cold. But she didn’t care. Let him flirt with her, then turn surly when he thought she was turning him down. What an arrogant prick, she thought, fuming, waiting for him to reply.
    He didn’t. Instead, her computer notified her That user is no longer online.
    “Coward!” She spoke too loudly in the quiet nighttime house. “Stupid jerk!”
    And she was stupid for letting him get to her. Arden scowled. She ought to have told him the truth, instead of letting him think she was married. It would have completely cleared up the whole misunderstanding.
    But if he knew she were free, would he have offered an affair? Which was worse? Having him offer when he believed she would not take him up on it, or being rejected because she could?
    “What the hell else does