As Nathan came to stand beside her at the sidebar, tension seeped into Janice’s body.
“And how are you today, Janice?”
The way he said her name always did something to her. She rolled back her shoulders. “Great,” she replied, calmly stirring cream in the coffee and then taking a tentative sip as she glanced sideways at him.
His dark brown skin was the perfect canvas for any color in the rainbow. Add to that his high cheekbones and lips as plump and succulent-looking as ripe plums, and it was no wonder he easily turned heads and had grown women crushing on him at work.
“And how was your weekend?” He poured a cup of coffee. He drank his with no sugar or cream, one of the many details she remembered from their relationship a few years ago.
“Nothing special.”
“Did you go out?”
“I did. Went to a club and danced the night away. It was fun.”
He slowly nodded. “Still partying hard, huh?”
“Not too hard.” On occasion, she went to a club or lounge to relax on the weekend and unload the stress of the work week.
“I’m sure you had men lined up to be your dance partners.”
“Nothing quite so dramatic,” Janice demurred, though she was pleased by the compliment.
Nathan chuckled, low and sexy, showing off pretty teeth and dimples. She hated that laugh. Not because it annoyed her, but because it was so enticing she longed to hear it over and over again and highlighted the smallest regret that she and Nathan were no longer a couple.
But they were in a good place now, and she had to remember that. Friendly, able to engage in polite conversation and the occasional banter the way they used to before they became romantically involved.
“At least you’re not still wasting your time with boys,” he said, amusement filtering into his eyes.
Janice arched an eyebrow. “Who says I’m wasting my time with boys?”
“I’ve seen the men you date now, remember?” He lowered his voice, arching an eyebrow right back at her.
Janice’s voice also went lower. “Once. One time you saw me on a date with a younger man. That’s not my norm.” Unfortunately, she’d run into Nathan at the movie theater she and her date had gone to.
At thirty-six, she figured she’d try something different, so why not try a younger man? She’d assumed younger men were easier to deal with in relationships, and she wouldn’t have to worry about getting serious because they were in their prime and not looking for anything permanent. Au contraire. Her experiment had been a bust. The first one she dated was too immature and saw her as a bank to borrow money from. The second became attached way too soon, so she’d had to end the relationship before it started.
“You shouldn’t waste time with boys when you could have the benefits of being with a real man.”
“And I suppose you can tell me all about the benefits of being with a real man?” Janice asked sweetly. They were entering dangerous territory.
Nathan locked eyes with her, seemed about to add more, and then shook his head. After a few seconds, he said, “I’m not going there.”
“Say what’s on your mind,” Janice said, her heart rate speeding up a fraction.
“Nah. Not a good idea.” His gaze swept the room as if searching for someone.
“Tell me before I beat it out of you.”
His attention came back to her. For a second, he hesitated, but then he finally whispered, “I can show you all the benefits of being with a real man better than I can tell you. But you already know that.”
They locked eyes again, and her stomach tightened.
Janice swallowed. “You did, but that didn’t work so well, did it?”
“So you say.” Nathan sipped his coffee and then his long-limbed body strolled across the carpeted floor and engaged a male member of the staff in conversation.
Janice released a quiet breath and propped her weight against the counter. The edge dug into her lower back, but she barely registered the pain. The tension that always surfaced whenever she came into close proximity to Nathan slowly oozed from her body. Being around him had always made her behave that way—like a weak-kneed high-schooler with a crush on the most popular boy.
