“I’ve been dating Cindy for two months.”

“Because she thinks you’re hot and you’re pathetic enough to be bowled over by that. But sooner or later she’ll realize you’re not talking enough and you’ll get dumped again. Come on, Joe, you’re not the fat kid anymore. You can let someone inside. Have a real emotional attachment.”

Joe had grumbled then and he grumbled now. So he didn’t let people in, so what? It wasn’t just how he’d grown up. He knew that a person took their experiences and made their own path. He didn’t have to be an alcoholic asshole who beat on kids to feel like a man.

But if he knew that, he also knew he didn’t have it in him to really connect on a heart and soul level. Doing so would make him feel too open, too vulnerable.

Besides, he was perfectly happy this way.

He was, damn it.

His door opened, which meant someone was blatantly ignoring his STAY OUT! warning. He lifted his head, prepared to growl.

And Summer flashed him a smile. “Friendly sign you have there.”

“If it was any friendlier it wouldn’t work.”

“It didn’t work this time.” She leaned back against his office door as it clicked shut.

He tossed his pen aside and struggled to get it together in the face of this beautiful, smiling, warm woman who ridiculously reminded him of a time he’d rather not think about. “What do you want?”

“Hmmm,” she said, and stepped forward. She wore a colorful flowery skirt low on her hips that didn’t quite meet the hem of the layered tank tops, one white, one red. The strip of abdomen exposed was smooth, flat, and tanned. A gold hoop flashed at her belly button, which for some idiotic reason, made his mouth water.

For the second time this week he felt eighteen, horny, and pathetic.

And in need of a doughnut.

“Interesting and dangerous,” she said softly, drawing his eyes back to hers. “Asking me what I want.”

It suddenly felt hot in the room. Was it hot in the room? He resisted the urge to tug at his collar. “I think it’s a simple enough question,” he managed evenly.

“Sure. But to be honest, I want a lot of things.” She eyed him for a long time, then slowly sat in a chair. She crossed her mile-long legs, which left one sandal dangling playfully off her big toe. “Three cameras now?” She laughed and fingered a strap. “I still think of you when I see one of these.”