No Rescue by Jenny Schwartz

Author:Jenny Schwartz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd

Chapter 4

‘If ever there was a moron…’ Tad lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was alone. He’d thrown his jacket over a chair and kicked off his shoes. If he hadn’t opened his big mouth and gone on and on about Josh and his damned rescuer complex, he’d be in Miri’s bed and most definitely not alone.

He swore.

The hell of it was not being able to shake the sneaking suspicion that his subconscious had raised the topic on purpose. Did he want to be single all his life? No! But faced with a woman who made him think of the future — as well as sex — he’d panicked.

‘Well, you sure fixed that problem, mate.’

Miri hadn’t been able to leave the restaurant fast enough. Although the reason hadn’t been merely his choice of conversation.

His gut clenched and his fists curled as he recalled the look on her face, the expression of hurt and betrayal before the flicker of dark lashes against the soft skin of her face hid her eyes and the brave tilt of her chin rejected his words.

I don’t think you’re an emotional mess, but the real issue is, do you?

Regret ate at him, feeding his anger. Not that his observation or quietly voiced challenge was wrong, but that he’d been stupid and insensitive enough to fall into sergeant mode when he wanted to be her lover. A lover recognised and respected her strength and resilience and didn’t provoke her hostility with an ill-timed attempt at character growth.

He’d seen her vulnerability at the zoo yesterday. He knew damn well he should have gone more carefully. Been sensitive.

Instead, they’d eaten the remainder of their meal in tense silence punctuated by jerky, gunfire attempts at conversation. Neither had wanted dessert. He’d paid the bill, driven her home, and when he’d attempted to walk her to her door…

Oh yeah, that had gone well — not.

‘I’ll manage,’ she’d clipped.

And with a bad-tempered roar, he’d sent his car snarling away as the door of the apartment block closed behind her. Not his finest moment.

***

Miri paced the balcony with a mohair rug wrapped over her pyjamas. This hadn’t been how she’d expected the night to end, not in her dreams, and not given the incendiary kiss with which the evening had started.

Now Sydney’s sparkling lights looked cold and distant. Glamour without soul.

Is that what was between her and Tad? Attraction without heart?

It hadn’t felt like it. She’d thought there’d been a genuine connection beneath the sizzle of their sexual tension. His sense of humour matched hers. She liked him.

She’d thought he liked her, respected her, yet…

This isn’t Tad’s fault, ma cherie.

The small voice sounded like her gran’s.

‘It’s not mine,’ she said out loud. But she had been the one to take personally his story of his workday. For good reason! What sort of idiot talked about dysfunctional relationships on a first date?

One that thought she wasn’t dysfunctional?

Ouch. She slid lower in her chair. What was it he’d challenged her with?

I don’t think you’re an emotional mess.

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