No Attachments - By Tiffany King Page 0,50

percent of the climate in Florida.

"So what do you think?" he asked, indicating the rack with two mountain bikes strapped to the back of his Range Rover.

"We're going on a bike ride?" I whispered, slowly walking toward the mounted bicycles. I was confused how he had figured out another kink in my armor. It could just be a coincidence. No one here knew about the last bike ride I had ever taken. It was the one memory that belonged to me alone.

"I know you have that whole 'no exercise' thing going on, but I figured a leisurely bike ride wouldn't fall under that rule?" he asked, looking uncertain. "I just thought it would be funny after all the joking if we really did take a bike ride together," he added with a crooked grin.

"It's fine. It's just been a long time since I've ridden a bike," I said as memories of my last bike ride assaulted my senses. Pictures filled my head of my mom and me peddling our pink-and-purple beach cruisers. She looked breathtakingly beautiful. It was a Sunday ritual for us to ride our bikes to the beach. We'd wheel them down the wooden steps to the sand below and ride along the water's edge while the wind blew through our hair. Afterward, we would stop at the ice cream stand near the peer. We'd both get chocolate cones dipped in cherry hard shell. The memories were poignant, which is why I rarely visited them. Most of the time they were just too painful.

"Hey, you okay?" Nathan asked, dragging me away from my memories.

"Sure," I answered, pasting a smile on my face.

"When your smile doesn't quite reach your eyes, I know you're just feeding me a line," he remarked, studying me intently.

"Really, it's nothing," I managed to say, although I was unsettled by his intensity and uncanny knack of being able to read me so well.

"I wish you would trust me," he muttered, opening the vehicle door for me.

"There's nothing to trust. I'm not hiding anything," I said, climbing in.

Nathan was still frowning as he climbed into the vehicle beside me.

"Are you expecting a jealous ex-boyfriend to suddenly show up and slash your tires?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Just put it this way, I wouldn't be surprised," he remarked, pulling his Range Rover onto the main road.

"Seriously, you need to relax and trust me when I say that some psycho will not be slashing your tires. So where are we going?"

"There's a mountain bike trail not far from here. According to Pam at the library, it's a relatively easy incline, but the view is amazing."

"Are you on a first-name basis with everyone in town?" I inquired, wondering how someone who'd only been here for six days had become friendly with half the town. Of course, that was the same amount of time I'd known him, and the fact that we'd already been intimate wasn't lost on me. Only one word came to mind to describe him: charming. He'd managed to charm the town much like he'd charmed me. His sexy radio voice didn't hurt of course. It had the knack of putting a person at ease.

"Pretty much," he answered as the last of the tension left him. "They all seem to think quite fondly of you."

"That's just because I'm new. I'm a novelty right now," I said. I shouldn't be surprised. This is what a small town gets you. It's what I said I wanted. "I'm sure they're already eyeing you to take my place as the new toy."

"I'm only interested in being your toy." He winked at me.

"That could end badly for you. I loved playing with my toys," I chirped before the full implication of my words had fully run through my head. "I meant to say you'd get sick of me playing with you so much," I added, burying myself further in innuendo hell.

"Honey, you can play with me as much as you want." He smirked.

"I bet." I blushed, making a point of not looking at his lap.

"It's pretty cute how you blush," he said, stroking a finger down my cheek.

"You seem to have that power over me," I admitted.

"Really? So, this is just for me?"

"Don't look so happy about it. I'm not thrilled that my feelings seem to be on display for you to see," I retorted.

"I like it. I'm not sure I remember the last time I was with a woman who allowed herself to be so open. It makes you