Sweet Seduction

Nathan scowled but let her continue.

"Then there was the guy who thought I could stand to lose a few pounds. Okay, a lot of pounds."

"What the hell? I'll kick his fucking ass. You don't need to lose a damn thing. My God, woman, you're perfect."

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. He ran his hands over her ass, up to her waist and then back down again as if he couldn't get enough of touching her.

"I'm ashamed to say that I took it to heart. I lost thirty pounds but quickly figured out it wasn't me. I didn't like myself and I wasn't happy. Then I got angry because I allowed the moron to dictate my life. In essence, to control my self-esteem. So I gained the weight back, bought a flashy convertible, started wearing sexy clothes again and said fuck you to any guy who didn't like it."

" 'Atta girl," he said approvingly.

"After that I was wary, I guess. I tended to come on too strong just to let the guy know what he was getting up front, and if he was still interested, I kept the relationships short and sweet. I figured if I was the one doing the ending, it wouldn't hurt so much. I'd never know if they lost interest or not because I was calling the shots."

His eyes softened, and he traced the line of her cheekbone with his finger.

"And then you walked into my salon." She sighed and shifted on his lap. "You walked in with Faith, and I don't know. It felt like a ton of bricks was dropped on me."

"Tell me about it," Nathan said. "You rocked my world, woman."

She smiled. "I wanted you, did everything I could think of to get your attention, and you were so oblivious."

He grimaced. "I was anything but. I just had no idea how to act around you. Every time I got close, my tongue knotted up and I felt like some horny teenager again."

"I was so furious with you," she continued. "I finally decided to hell with you. I'd make you notice me come hell or high water, and then I'd turn you loose. I set up my threesome fantasy with Damon, and, well, you know the rest."

"Yeah, I do," he said softly. "I fell in love with a tenacious, bullheaded, tenderhearted dynamo of a woman. I spent months being in such awe over you that I damn near screwed up any chance I had with you."

She swallowed and her shaking grew worse.

"Honey, listen to me. I love every single thing about you. I love your brass and your sass. I love that you don't need me, but you want me. I think the men in your past were brainless pigs, but you know what? I'm glad they were because they saved you for me. And I swear to God, if you ever get any harebrained notion to lose weight again, I'll kick that ass of yours all over Houston. You are . . . delectable. And you're mine. And I love you just the way you are."

"Oh God," she whispered. "You don't play fair, Nathan."

"I sure hope to hell not. Now tell me you love me again. Tell me you're not going to run from me ever again."

"I love you. I won't run anymore."

He cupped her head and pulled her down to meet his kiss. Hot, breathless, with so much love her heart nearly burst.

"What I'm going to do right now is take you into the bedroom, and I'm going to make love to you until you can't see straight. And then? I'm going to love you some more."

"Tell me again," she whispered.

He stroked his hands through her hair and stared at her with such love and warmth in those green eyes. He didn't need to say it. She could see it brimming there. But she wanted to savor those words again. She'd never get tired of hearing them.

"I love you, Julie Stanford."

She settled into his arms with a contented sigh. "And I love you, Nathan Tucker. If you talk sweet enough, I'll let you finally catch me."

Chapter 33

Micah stood in the back of Damon's garden and watched as the newlywed couple laughingly stuffed cake in each others faces. He never could figure out the appeal himself, but they looked ridiculously happy, so he couldn't begrudge them.

Then he smiled as he remembered Ha

He shoved his hands into his pockets, content to remain where he was and observe the festivities. Faith and Gray danced off to the side, which was amusing since there wasn't a band, and no music was playing, and, well, Gray was a pretty terrible dancer. Faith didn't seem to mind though. She was wrapped all around him, her sweet smile warming the entire garden.

And then there was Nathan and Julie. He gri

It was pretty damn fu

A fu

"Hey man, you made it back."

Micah turned to see Co

"Hey, yeah, wouldn't miss the big day for Damon and Serena."

"Good vacation?" Co

Micah stilled. "Yeah. Good."

"Missed a lot of excitement."

"Yeah, I heard. I have a feeling Nathan's boring days are over, though."

Co

"She's a great girl," Micah said with a warm smile.

"Yeah," Co

"Pop here?"

Co

Just then Nathan looked up and saw Micah. He lifted his head in acknowledgment, and for a moment, Micah wondered if he was going to avoid the first confrontation between the three of them since that last night.

Nathan lowered his head and said something to Julie, who looked his way and waved with a grin. Then she laced her fingers with Nathan's and pulled him toward Micah.

Micah smiled. Leave it to Julie to head off any awkwardness. He knew he wasn't wrong about her.

"Hey, you made it," Julie said as the approached.

Nathan stuck his fist out to Micah and they bumped knuckles.

"Where the hell have you been, man?"

"Vacation," he said shortly.

"Must have been a good one," Julie said.

Startled, he glanced down at her. "Why do you say that?"

She studied him for a moment. "You look different. Good different."

"Thanks. I think."

"It was a compliment," she said with a grin.

Feeling like needling Nathan just a bit, Micah gri

Unflustered, she raised one eyebrow and looked coolly at him. "Hudson, does it look like I've been tamed?"

He threw back his head and laughed. Oh yeah, Nathan was going to have fun with this one. Damn if she didn't have him on this one. Nathan could be with her fifty years and he'd never tame her.