A Vow Of Seduction: Hot Night in the Hamptons / Seduced Before Sunrise. Nana Malone

or messy situations. And I liked you. Probably more than I should have. But our best friends just got married. Sleeping with you was the messiest decision I’ve ever made. And I figured a clean break was ideal.”

      Gabe turned to her and gave her his lopsided smile. Her heart flipped over. Stupid heart. “I scared the shit out of you?”

      Despite herself, she laughed. “Yeah, something like that. We had fun. A lot of fun. It’s just way too complicated.” Elina licked her lips nervously, “So, since we’re being honest?”

      Gabe rolled his eyes as he laughed. “Go on, ask me anything you want.”

      “You mean besides where you learned that thing with your tongue?”

      His bark of laughter bounced off of the buildings around them. “Yeah, you probably don’t want to know the answer to that!”

      “No, probably not. But I do want to ask why you were so upset. I mean, now that I know who you are, it’s clear you have a certain reputation. And have access to plenty of women. So why were you so focused on me?” She braced herself for the truth. There was a part of her that wanted to be special, but the rational part of her wanted it to be about the game.

      * * *

      He considered his answer, and then he opted for the truth. It was easier that way. “At first, it was a little bit about the chase. I’m not used to being told no. But then, at the wedding, when you looked so sad, I just wanted to make you smile. I didn’t plan what happened. That’s not my MO or anything. Meet hot chick, take her down to the bedrooms in the yacht. I just thought we’d have fun. I felt connected to you. And then you were gone.”

      She nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your yacht?”

      “Would you have lumped me in with the rest of Adam’s bratty, rich-kid friends?”

      She scrunched her nose. “Maybe. But not once we started talking.”

      “I guess you live and learn.” For the next several blocks they talked about work and where they went to school.

      He asked her something else he’d been dying to know. “Okay, another question for you. Why are you so anti-anything? From the sounds of it you don’t even want a relationship, or to date.”

      She adjusted her laptop bag on her shoulder, and he just reached over and took it from her. “If you knew my mother, you would understand.”

      “Go on, tell me.”

      Elina slid him a glance. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She shook her head. “My mother is warm and vivacious and fun. She’s also a total addict.”

      Wow. Not what he’d been expecting. “I’m sorry, Elina, that must’ve been rough.”

      She shook her head. “It’s not what you think. She’s addicted to love. She gets high off a new relationship. The dramatics of dating. And the dramatics of divorce. She’s been married seven times. Three of those to my father.”

      Some of this he knew from Adam. But it was still unbelievable to hear. “Holy shit. Are you serious?”

      “Yeah. I wish I was kidding. She has six ex-husbands.”

      “Seriously?”

      “Yeah. So growing up, she would have a guy, then get bored, and instead of working it out, she would just divorce him.”