For the Love of Ivy - Cindy Kirk Page 0,22
her bare skin and warm lips covering hers. The vivid image brought with it an ache of wanting.
From the way Seth’s eyes darkened, he appeared to be doing some visualizing—and aching—of his own.
The realization buoyed her flagging spirits. A couple times at the Nordstrom ranch, she’d gotten the feeling Seth was trying to foist her off on Adam. It was confusing considering the pull between them. Still the feeling persisted.
“I was surprised he had to ask.” Lauren forced a chuckle. “Considering your behavior.”
“What about my behavior?”
“You were like a yenta determined to make a match.”
Seth’s brows pulled together; his expression clearly puzzled. “Beg pardon?”
Lauren swirled the wine in her glass. “You played up the fact that Adam and I are both academicians. You told him I was a big-city girl at least three times.”
He grimaced. “Did I really?”
Lauren nodded.
“You’re right. He probably didn’t know what to think.” Seth’s gaze searched hers. “Did he ask you out?”
“Not yet.”
“Think he will?”
“Probably.” Actually, there was no doubt in her mind. The way he’d looked at her, coupled with his question about her relationship with Seth, told her the mathematician would be picking up the phone.
“Will you go?”
“I doubt it,” Lauren answered honestly. Though Adam seemed to be a nice-enough guy, he reminded her too much of her father. She didn’t tell Seth that part. “Between finishing up my dissertation, meeting with clients and taking care of Ivy, I won’t have much free time. I’d rather spend what time I do have with Anna or Stacie.”
“Do you ever feel the need for male-female interaction?” he asked.
Lauren straightened in her seat. Her heart, which had finally settled back into a nice easy rhythm, sped up. Was he asking the question on behalf of Adam? Or himself? Had he felt the pull between them but wasn’t going to act on it until he knew where she stood?
She had two options—play coy or be honest.
She’d never been good at playing games.
“I miss sex,” Lauren admitted, staring into the burgundy liquid. “While I may not have time to date, I could be persuaded to fit a purely physical affair into my schedule.”
Lauren looked up at the strangled sound coming from Seth’s throat. She lifted a brow. “You okay?”
“Are you saying you’d be interested in a relationship based solely on sex?”
“That’s the only kind I’ve ever known,” Lauren confessed. The confines of the darkened room allowed her to speak honestly.
“Ever?”
“Ever.”
“How many of these relationships have you had?” Curiosity, rather than judgment, underscored the question.
“Not many.” Lauren hated to admit how few. For a thirty-one-year-old modern female, her experience was extremely limited.
“How did you meet these guys?”
“I met Ruis at a symposium on global warming. There was an instant spark between us.” Lauren’s lips lifted in a slight smile, remembering the Spaniard. “I was twenty-two at the time. I’d never had a boyfriend before him. We became intimate almost immediately. I thought he was in love with me. After a while he made me see that the great fire between us existed only in bed. I should have known. We were very different people. On the positive side, Ruis taught me a relationship based on sex could be workable.”
Seth muttered something she couldn’t understand then met her gaze. “What about the others?”
“There was only one other.” Lauren twisted the stem of her wineglass between her fingers. “About five years ago.”
“How did you meet him?”
“His father taught at the community college with me. Dirk worked on oil rigs in the Gulf. We both loved to hike and ski. He’d be out on a platform for six months at a time so whenever he came home he had a lot of pent-up passion. Sometimes we’d go to the mountains but most of the time... we didn’t.”
Seth’s gaze narrowed.
“That worked fine for me,” Lauren hastened to add. “Because I was busy, too.”
Seth met her gaze. “You deserve better than you got from either of those men.”
“Like I said.” Lauren tried to smile but her lips were stiff and refused to move. “It worked out for everyone.”
“If you say so.”
A cold feeling of dread coursed through Lauren’s veins. She shifted uneasily in her seat. Her two best friends had never understood her past relationships. What had made her think Seth would?
Because he’s alone, a tiny voice whispered. Because his needs aren’t being met. Because you thought he wanted you in that way, too.
“Forget what I said.” Lauren brushed her hair back from her face with a hand that trembled slightly. “I thought you’d understand.”
Seth’s