His high school crush had become one hell of a beautiful woman. His mouth grew dry and beneath the table, he had an erection he’d never be able to hide. This woman always had the damnedest effect on him, Roman thought, and his pulse kicked into high gear as he waited for her to stop at his table.
All the while, Rick muttered in his ear, reminding Roman of why he’d hated having big brothers. “Five, four, three, two …”
And just when she’d have to stop and acknowledge him, she cut a sharp right turn and headed for the table where Beth had settled in to wait.
He groaned and turned back to face the firing squad he called his siblings.
“Looks like she’s going to make you work for it, little brother.”
Hadn’t she always?
Chase laughed. “Bet you’re not used to being ignored. It’s got to be hell on the ego.”
“Shut the hell up,” Roman muttered. He hadn’t forgotten that one night in high school. Though he’d always considered Charlotte the one that got away, he’d never forced the issue between them. It wasn’t that he was afraid of hard work or even another rejection. He’d always had the inclination to pursue her; he’d just never had the time.
Things had changed. Back for a prolonged stay, Roman was no longer content to let her deliberately ignore him. It was time to push the issue.
* * *
Roman had returned. Charlotte’s stomach churned; disbelief and shock rippled through her. Her initial glimpse through the store window and the hunch she’d tried to ignore hadn’t prepared her for the impact of seeing him again.
Damn the man anyway. No one had the ability to affect her the way he had. One look, and she felt like a hormonal teenager all over again.
The passage of time had affected his good looks—for the better. Age had defined him in incredible ways. His face was leaner, more chiseled, and, if possible, his eyes were a more striking shade of blue. She shook her head. She’d been too far away to know for sure—at first because she’d been in front of the restaurant, giving him time alone with Beth, and afterward because her palms were sweating and she was mortified she couldn’t regain her composure.
But Charlotte was certain one thing about Roman hadn’t changed—his reporter’s instincts. With one glance, he not only saw, he dissected. And she didn’t want him dissecting her.
“Your hands are shaking,” Beth said.
Charlotte took another hefty sip of the soda her friend had ordered for her. “It’s the caffeine.”
“I think it’s testosterone overload.”
Somehow Charlotte managed to keep from spitting her cola at a grinning Beth. “You mean hormone overload?”
“Whichever. That table of hunky male flesh has you hot and bothered.” She gestured with a flip of her hand toward the corner occupied by the Chandler brothers.
“Don’t point,” Charlotte said.
“Why not? Everyone else in Norman’s is staring at them.”
“That’s true,” she said, then realized she’d missed her opportunity to deny having seen them. Ignoring the brothers had been her plan. At least until she’d eaten something and steeled her defenses against Roman’s unsettling impact.
She folded her damp palms, one on top of the other. “But not me. I’m immune.”
“You always were. Or you pretended to be,” Beth said with the wisdom she’d lacked in her youth. “Not that I understand in the least.” She shook her head. “Never had, never will.”
Charlotte hadn’t ever told her best friend the truth about why she’d rejected Roman. In high school, she’d had her defenses a mile high, and next thing she knew, Roman had turned from Charlotte’s rejection to Beth’s willing arms. Despite the pain and the jealousy, Charlotte had encouraged her friend’s interest, pretending to be immune, as Beth had just said. Then they’d graduated and Roman had taken off for parts unknown.
Charlotte hadn’t asked how serious their relationship had been. She often told herself it was out of respect for Beth’s privacy, but the truth was more selfish than that. Charlotte hadn’t wanted to know. And unlike the news of her plastic surgery, Beth had been discreet on the topic of Roman.
But times had changed and Beth was engaged to another man now. Roman was so far in her past, Charlotte contemplated tackling the topic tonight.
“He’s still really good looking,” Beth said.
Charlotte changed her mind about a heart-to-heart talk. “Hey. If you’re still interested in Roman, have at him. If Dr. Implant doesn’t mind, then I don’t.”
“Liar.” Beth tossed her napkin on the table and folded her arms across her chest, a smile pulling at her lips. “I saw the way you looked him over before he turned and noticed you. And I saw how you shifted your gaze and walked right by, like you didn’t even see him there.”
Charlotte twisted uncomfortably in her seat. “Is it too late to ask, see who where?”
“Chicken.”
“We all have our weakness, so quit bugging me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go to the ladies’ room.” Charlotte made a quick escape without a glance in Roman Chandler’s direction. But as soon as she hit the narrow hallway that led to the restrooms, she wiped her damp palms against her gauzy skirt.
Five minutes later she’d touched up her lipstick and reminded herself of all her achievements, so if she absolutely had to make polite conversation with Roman, she’d be able to do so with poise and ease.
With a new attitude, she pushed open the door and walked smack into Roman’s broad chest. The incredible scent of musky aftershave and potent male surrounded her. Aroused her. She sucked in a surprised breath.
As she stepped back on unsteady feet, he grabbed her forearms with both hands. “Easy.”
Easy? Was he kidding? His palms felt warm, solid, and too good on her bare skin. She looked up into his blue eyes. “This is the ladies’ room,” she said inanely. She sighed. So much for poise, sparkling conversation, and wit.
“No, this is the hallway. The ladies’ room is behind you and the men’s room is down the hall.” He grinned. “I should know. I practically grew up here.”
“I need to get back to my table. Beth’s waiting. Beth Hansen, you remember her, right?” Charlotte rolled her eyes This was getting worse and worse.
To her chagrin, he laughed. “Well, at least now I know you remember me.”
She didn’t pretend to misunderstand him and couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I was late, in a rush, Beth was waiting.” She lifted her hands, then let them fall to her sides.
“So you didn’t mean to ignore me.”
A burning flush rose to her face. “No. I … I have to go. Beth’s waiting for me. Again.”
His rough hand brushed her cheek and a tremor of awareness shot through her body, a quiver he couldn’t possibly miss. “I’ll let you get back to your table as soon as I ask you a question. It’s been ten years and the attraction between us is still going strong. When are you going to give in?”
When hell freezes over came to mind, but she clamped her mouth shut. Because she didn’t really mean it, for one thing, and because he didn’t deserve such a crushing rejection, for another.