"Mary Taffs - Hot Fudge and Peppermint" - читать интересную книгу автора (Taffs Mary)

She couldn't disappear, though, and she absolutely would not react like the old Nik. "I brought you a
treat, but I see you've got one of your own," she said, grabbing the waistband of his jeans and pulling it
open. She heard the metal zipper slide open. "Feel free to share this with her."

Quickly, she dumped the sundae in his pants.

CHAPTER ONE
October, Eight Years Later

"Wait up a second, Bill!" Scott hailed him from down the hall. Bill paused at the intersection of hallways
and waited for Scott to catch up. "You remember Nik Harding, don't you? She was in George's class at
the University, and she says you two knew each other, too."

The name grabbed at his insides, and he looked at the business-suited woman next to Scott. It really was
her. "Nik." He stopped and took control of his mouth. "Of course I do. Hi, Nik." His smile didn't feel
real.

"Hello," she said, without an accompanying smile.

Scott continued, seemingly oblivious to their awkwardness, "Nik's here today interviewing for the
customer support manager job. Seth's supposed to see her next, but he's tied up right now on a
conference call. I thought maybe you two'd like to do some catching up until he's ready."

He caught what looked like horror on Nik's face, but he replied, "That's a great idea, thanks. Come on,
Nik - my office is down this way."

As they walked away, Scott said, "Ellen will call when Seth's free."

"Right in here," he said, leading the way into his office and sitting behind his desk. "Have a seat, Nik. It's
great to see you again."

She perched on the chair closest to the door. "Look, we don't have to talk. Just go back to whatever you
were doing, and I'll look through this folder." She opened the folder of fluff pieces about
Adams-Worthington and its product, TechDoc.

"You don't want to read that crap," he said with a laugh. "Anyway, I always wished I'd had a chance to
talk to you again." He'd tried, too. He'd stopped by her room unannounced and lurked near the rooms
where she had classes. The few times he'd been in the right place at the right time, she'd acted like he
was invisible.

"Well, I never did." Her voice was flat, with a hint of steel he didn't remember from college days. She'd
been tough to get to know then, but under that she'd been soft, and sexy as hell.

"You're still pissed at me, aren't you?" All these years later? Wasn't that carrying a grudge a bit far?

Her mouth pursed in disgust. "Of course not. I simply have no interest in pretending to be friends with
you."

He hadn't gotten his reputation with women by backing off at the first sign of resistance. "Fine. We don't
have to be friends." He paused to give her a false sense of hope, then added, "I'd rather be your lover, in