She held her own against him, standing tall. “It didn’t seem to bother you at all. It didn’t even seem to affect you one bit when I told you why I was no longer going to pursue anything with him.”

“Are you crazy? You think it didn’t bother me that you were hot for that asshole? Did you already forget Yankee Stadium?”

She shivered briefly as the memory flashed before her eyes of their first time together, the way he’d talked to her, so rough and jealous, and the way it had turned her on to no end. But that had all been a game, another move in the chess match of their lessons in seduction. Those lessons were over.

“No. I didn’t forget it. But sometimes I think you did,” she said, crossing her arms.

“I didn’t forget a thing. I remember everything about every night with you. Every day with you. Every hour with you. Like when you bought this dress,” he said, raking his eyes over her from head to toe. “By the way, nice dress.”

“Thanks,” she said coldly. “I’m thrilled to learn you can recall details of a blow job. I was worried that was starting to fade from your mind.”

He shut his eyes briefly and pursed his lips, fighting to hold back, it seemed. She should do the same. She really should. It wasn’t her style to lash out. She was direct, she was upfront, but she was also kind. Only right now, she wasn’t. She was playing dirty because the snake inside her was stronger. She wanted to shake Nate, yell at him to get over his ex-wife, shout at him to stop flirting with another woman. And then slap him and tell him he never should have toyed with her heart in London. “I’m sure, though, that all those lovely things you said to me that night in London have completely faded from your mind. But then, I suppose it’s not a surprise. We already know I’m not terribly good at reading men and what they really want. Especially when they only say those lovely things in bed.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, jamming his hands through his hair, messing it up. “I meant everything I said that night.”

“What does it matter now? We’re friends. We’re fabulous, amazing, wonderful friends.”

“Casey,” he said softly, reaching out a hand to try to touch her. She shirked away. “You’re not really acting like a friend right now. But then, I don’t feel that friendly either. When I see you in that dress, I don’t feel the least bit buddy-buddy. I feel—”

She cut him off. “I don’t care if this dress makes you want to fuck me. All you ever wanted was sex and friendship. I’m sorry that you only have one of those things now, but it’s all I can give you, and even then it’s really hard to be your friend with the way I feel for you.” Her voice broke yet again. She swiped at her face, trying to erase the start of the insubordinate tear. “Excuse me. I need to go to the ladies room,” she said, giving him the universal excuse that freed a woman from any situation. She rushed into the bathroom, grabbed some tissues, and sank down in a soft chair in the sitting area, her head in her hands.