Page 22 of Bulletproof

“This husband of yours, where is he?”

“He’s away on business.”

He nodded. “I see. And he’s been away awhile?”

I had no reason to lie. “Yes.”

“You’re certain he’s returning?”

“I love him, he loves me, and we live together, so, yeah, he’s coming back,” I assured him with more conviction than I felt.

It wasn’t that Sam wouldn’t want to return, given the choice, but at the moment, I had no idea where he was or how he was or who he was with.

“Good.” He nodded, his smile kind. “I look forward to meeting him, and now we will be friends.”

I smiled at him. “Is that right? You just say it and it’s written in stone?”

“Yes.” He grinned wickedly, and I watched his eyes glint. “We’ll be very good friends.”

The words were genuine, and I found that between how quickly he had backed off, the warmth in his golden-brown eyes, his deep chuckle, and his smile, I liked him. And the man was definitely easy on the eyes.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, muscular, but not overly so, with that whole V-line to him. His upper body tapered to a narrow waist, and his lean hips flowed down into long, muscular legs that his dress pants were clinging to. The man looked toned and hard all over, and the skin peeking out of the open collar of his dress shirt was dark bronze.

Gorgeous man—sensual, graceful, alluring. You looked at him and thought sex in neon lights. But even as needy as my body was, he was not for me. Only one man would do, and because he wasn’t around, my baser instincts were locked up tight. One night of hot, sweaty, mind-blowing sex was not worth losing a man who put up with my bullshit on a day-to-day basis, even if he’d been absent lately for the uphill grind of living with me.

“Angel?”

I realized my mind had been drifting. “Sorry.”

The way he smiled let me know he had already decided I was an airhead.

“Shit.”

He chuckled. “What?”

“Nothing.”

He looked me in the eye for long minutes before he smiled wide. “You have no idea who I am, do you?”

“I guess not.” I squinted at him. “Should I?”

“No, you shouldn’t,” he assured me before taking a quick breath. “So, Angel, does your relationship with your husband allow for friendship? Especially while your lover is out of town?”

“Ugh,” I groaned.

He let out a bark of laughter. “What was that?”

“Just the lover part. I hate that word. It’s so dated.”

“Is it?” He looked surprised. “Lover’s dated?”

I made another gagging noise, and he laughed at me again.

“You’re adorable.”

I waggled my eyebrows at him. “Wait and see. I’ll end up driving you nuts.”

He shrugged. “Maybe not. Let’s test your theory. Have drinks with me and Eddie and my friends and then dinner. We’re eating at my favorite cantina, and the owner cooks special for me.”