Love 'Em or Leave 'Em by Angie Stanton Read Free Book Online

get acquainted with them. One less person you have to get to know." She hoped he would take the hint and move on.
    "Really?" he said. His eyes seemed skeptical. "Seems to me you just wanted to get out here to work on your tan in private." His gaze moved leisurely over her body, from the tip of her nose down to her pale white legs. "Which, by the way, could use a lot of work. Do those legs ever see the light of day?"
    Ashley was relieved she'd worn her beach wrap, and repositioned it around her waist to cover more skin. It was obvious that her legs hadn't seen sun in a very long time. She lived in the Midwest, with only a couple of months of summer. The rest of the year felt like a transition to and from winter.
    "Hey, I like the pasty white look" She covered as much skin as possible. "You're lucky I'm not too sensitive or you might have really hurt my feelings."
    "I am so sorry!" he replied in exaggerated contrition, not looking like he meant it. "Hey, do you mind if I sit down? I'd like to keep a low profile for at least a few minutes."
    "Oh, so you're the one hiding!" she accused playfully. "That bad already?"
    "No, it's not too bad," Luke answered, sounding weary. "It's just a little intense back there. I feel like the last beer at a frat party." He sat down on the end of the chair facing Ashley, a spark of interest in his eye. "Speaking of hiding, if I didn't know how bad your skin needed some sun, I'd say you were hiding as well. What's up? I thought you came here to win yourself a guy, to marry the bachelor."
    "Yes, it appears that way, doesn't it? I mean the win-the-guy part." She tried to figure a way to quickly defuse the situation and get him off her trail. There was no telling when she'd be alone with him again. This might be her best opportunity to steer him away from her.
    "I know I look pretty desperate," she said, smiling at herself. "Actually the truth is ... No offense . . " Ashley glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "But you're not exactly my type"
    "Is that so?" He laughed, obviously amused by her comment. "I'm crushed. In fact, I may have to return to the hungry pack of wolves back there just to build up my ego."
    "Great" She fiddled with the fringe of her coverup. "I was really enjoying the solitude away from all those cameras. And if you stay much longer they'll probably track you down. Then I'd be caught too, so please go build up your poor deflated ego," she teased. He was a lot of fun to talk to, particularly without the horde of women always on his trail.
    "Okay, but before I go, I want to know what your type is. I mean, if it's not me then don't you think it's only fair to tell me what is?" Luke challenged with a smirk on his face. "After all those personality tests you took, we should be a potential perfect match. In fact, every girl here should be a potential perfect match"
    "That's a funny thing, isn't it?" Ashley spoke softly, leaning forward. "I always cheat on tests. I guess this time it backfired on me. I got the wrong guy." She sat back again and spoke confidently. "So I thought I'd just turn this into a little vacation instead. Plus, it leaves you one less to choose from. So you see, I have just done you an incredible favor by giving you one less pursuer to hunt you down." She smiled brightly.
    Luke leaned back on one arm and placed his leg next to Ashley's on the lounge chair. "Fine. You're using me for a vacation. But, tell me, what is your type?" He lowered his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose so that his intense blue eyes peered over the top, straight at her. "Satisfy me"
    Ashley stared back and took a deep breath. She tried to remain unaffected after receiving his piercing gaze. "Well, let's see. I really like a serious professional," Ashley said.
    "I'm a professional."
    Ashley gave him a swift glare. "Not that kind of professional. Someone highly educated, not afraid to use his brain instead of his brawn"
    "Did you know I have a degree in mechanical engineering from