McDonald_SS_GEN_Nov2014 by Donna McDonald Read Free Book Online

learn anything useful?” Nicolas asked, inhaling Megan’s clean scent. He was tense from the strain of being polite to people he didn’t like. Megan’s smell soothed his senses after having had to breathe Tiffani’s cloying perfume all evening.
    Megan nodded. “I validated pretty much all you told me about your mother, except I think things aren’t as great in her marital relationship as she’s led you to think. Your stepfather is not liked by his own children, much less you. He was never mentioned again by anyone after he left this evening. Oh. . .and Tiffani was sorely disappointed when you brought a date to dinner. Or so I heard. . .over and over.”
    Nicolas pinched the bridge of his nose. He was never saying yes to his mother again.
    “We went to high school together. Tiffani is recently divorced, and on the prowl for a new husband. Seeing her was my mother’s idea, not mine. I did try to warn you before you agreed to come.”
    “Stop. You don’t have to justify the presence of an attractive blonde hanging on your every word all evening. Besides, Dweeb 2—I mean Jefferson—informed me I wasn’t your type. He said all the women you date look just like Tiffani,” Megan declared.
    She enjoyed his heavy, resigned sigh way too much as Nicolas turned his face to look out the window. But his quiet answer was disturbing.
    “Jefferson is an ass, but in this case, he’s sort of right. It’s only because I don’t really date in the normal sense of the term. I just go out with women who pressure me into it—and only once in a while. They leave pretty quick when I can’t pay enough attention to them. I don’t. . .” Nicolas sighed and shook his head. “The rationalization I have for my dating failures seems so bad in my thoughts, I don’t think I can explain the theory aloud to you.”
    Nicolas turned back and saw Megan’s gaze patiently waiting for him to find his balls and speak anyway. He knew she would be prompting him shortly if he didn’t push through his distaste. Oddly, she was the only woman he could possibly ever admit something so honest to, but. . . oh, the hell with it .
    “In general, pretty much all women bore me,” he admitted. Her giggling laugh over his confession caught him off-guard, just like nearly everything about her did. “What’s so damn funny about that? Don’t you think I’m a jerk?”
    Megan shrugged. “I knew that was how you felt long before you told me. I could see how hard you were working to pay attention to what Tiffani with an ‘i’ was saying. Those brooding good looks of yours probably make you seem like the strong, silent type. I bet lots of people would be surprised how chatty you get when you’re comfortable.”
    Nicolas shook his head again. “I’m not totally inept with women, just mostly inept. And I’m never chatty with anyone but you. I think it’s because you’re always arguing with me. Being reserved doesn’t often seem like an option.”
    “I didn’t say you were inept with women. Don’t put words in my mouth, Dr. North.”
    Megan turned in the car seat to look at him. All she got was his profile. His feelings were probably hurt, but she didn’t know how to be careful enough.
    “You’re worried for no reason. There’s nothing wrong with you at all. Let me prove it to you. What color polish did Tiffani have on her fingernails?”
    Nicolas snorted and barked out a laugh, surprised by the left field question. “And if I say I didn’t notice, will that count as an epic fail?”
    He studied his hands as he searched his memories for Tiffani’s fingers. He had basically ignored her when her skirt dance had started. Not that she had bad legs. They just weren’t as interesting as his stepbrothers staring at Megan’s breasts all evening.
    “This is not a test, Dr. North. Work with me. Trying to make a point here,” Megan said sharply. “What do you remember about her? Anything at all?”
    “Her perfume was way too strong. I like yours