Borrowing a Bachelor Read Online Free Page B

was a dry financial publication, but for all he knew, she could be passionately interested not only in his buns—she squirmed with embarrassment—but in money. In fact, she was passionate about money, as far as making some went. Immediately.
    Her gaze fell on one of the topics highlighted on the cover: Securities and the Single Mom. Hmm… To take her mind off the fact that she still felt like a moron, she began to read.
    By the time Adam came out with a blue-fabric, medically issued ice bag across his nose, Nikki had devoured the whole article and learned quite a bit in the process. There were all kinds of organizations and websites out there devoted to helping single moms not only with their finances, but with furthering their education—and she had the germ of a business idea.
    The sight of her strip-assault victim brought her back to reality, though. “Are you okay?”
    “Fine.” He nodded. “It’s not broken.”
    “Oh, thank goodness.” She put down the magazine.
    He walked over to the little window to pay what he owed for the visit, and Nikki jumped up. Did she have enough space free on her MasterCard to pay?
    Oh, God. She wasn’t sure. But she should make the offer. It was her moral obligation.
    “Adam, let me take care of that. It’s the least I can do.”
    “It’s okay,” he said. “Don’t worry about it.”
    “I will worry about it,” Nikki insisted, muttering a prayer to the credit gods under her breath. She gently nudged Adam aside. “Excuse me,” she said to the woman behind the window, “but I’d like to take care of his visit.”
    Nikki handed her card to the woman with a smile, only barely refraining from tapping her nails nervously on the laminated countertop during what seemed an interminable wait.
    “I’m sorry, ma’am, but it didn’t go through.”
    Mortified, Nikki rummaged in her handbag and came up with a ten-dollar bill that she’d had earmarked for eggs, bread and milk. “Here, how about if you take this and then run the card again, for the balance?”
    At this point, Adam took over. He folded both card and bill back into Nikki’s hand and said, “I’ve got this. Thanks, but I’ve got it.” He handed a credit card to the lady.
    Nikki wished that a convenient sinkhole would open up in the floor and swallow her whole. A tic started at her left eye, though she tried to rub it away. Loser, loser, loser, it seemed to say.
    She struggled with her desire to go home and crawl under the covers, to block out this whole evening and the ridiculous idea that she, the fat kid they’d called Chubba Bubba in grade school and mocked even more in high school, could possibly dance in front of men for money.
    Was she crazy? Had Yvonne dropped something in her drink to make her agree to do it?
    But unfortunately, she’d made this nice boy with the bloody nose a promise, and her mom had brought her up that only scabs didn’t keep their promises.
    Was it worse to be a scab than a loser? Nikki didn’t want to think about that too much.
    “Okay,” she said to Adam once they were outside the door. “I promised you a private dance if you’d get me out of there. It’s the least I can do— ow! ” Another South Florida mosquito evidently flew up her skirt and bit her on the butt, and she slapped at it, hard.
    There was an audible gulp from her male companion. “That’s…not necessary,” he said, as if it cost him great effort. “Don’t worry about it.”
    For a moment she was relieved and elated. Then her conscience got her again and Nikki raised her chin. “I hit you in the nose and then I made you a promise, and I’m going to keep it. Besides, I want to see you settled properly with your feet elevated and your head tipped back. So I’ll drive you to your hotel and make sure you’re comfortable…and…and then…we’ll just get it over with.”
    Adam looked at her oddly. “You don’t sound as if you want to do this, Nikki.”
    “What? Oh, no—I do, ” she lied.
    He