dropped my slice of pizza and wiped my hands on the napkin.
“So you have no code when it comes to dating friends of your brothers, but you do have a code when it comes to me?” My eyes fell to his lips and my traitor of an imagination pictured his mouth tracing down my collarbone. I shook my head to squash the vision. His eyes were full of amusement when I looked back up, and I swore he knew what I was thinking. The tension between us was almost unbearable, and I caught myself shredding my napkin under the table.
“That’s not what I meant. Of course, I wouldn’t date my brothers’ friends, but it also happens that I don’t like Cole. He’s lazy and he gives me the willies.”
“The willies?” Aaron’s laughter caught the attention of some of the techies in line, and I couldn’t help but smile. “So quite possibly, it sounds like I don’t give you the willies, which is in turn why you enacted your code with me. You needed some forsaken reason to keep me away.”
He was wearing me down. He knew it and I knew it. And I no longer cared as he watched me closely.
“There is no code. And I think we both know why I’m keeping you away.”
“I don’t think you should hide us from my sister,” Aaron continued.
“There is no us.” I fumbled with my napkin as my heart started pounding.
“Not yet. But there will be.”
His frankness was disarming and so was his intent. There was no escaping from him this time, and I’d be lying to myself if I tried to run anyway. It no longer seemed as if we were in the middle of a lively city. It felt like it was only the two of us on the patio as his eyes bored into me, stilling everything around me but my hammering heart.
“All I’m asking for is one date. A proper date,” he said, sliding his tray to the side. “And then make up your mind whether I’m worth investing any time into.” The coy smile reappeared on his lips as he awaited my answer as if he knew I’d be unable to turn him down.
“What about the others?”
“Others?” he repeated. His brow quirked up slightly, as he sat back in the chair.
I nodded, watching the intensity of his expression change behind his eyes.
“I’m asking for one date,” he muttered, glancing at the lunch crowd. He looked uneasy and I wasn’t sure if it was because I knew there were others or because I was pinning him down.
“And I’m asking whether that one date will just put me in the lineup?” I stared directly into his hardening gaze. “Because that’s not what I’m looking for.”
“What are you looking for?” his voice was low, and I watched the strain in his jaw as the muscles contracted.
“Something more if the fit is right, and I’m not sure you’re capable. From what I’ve heard—”
“Heard?” His eyes stayed on mine. “From who?”
“That doesn’t matter, but I’ve seen it for myself. The way you treated that poor woman.”
His laughter was cold and distant. “At the bar?”
I nodded suddenly not feeling so sure of myself.
“I had just met her. I had no interest in her. Should I have led her on and made her feel like—” He removed his jacket and my eyes couldn’t help but stumble over his chest. God, he looked sensational. “Like I make you feel?”
“Who said anything about me feeling any sort of way,” I protested, shaking my head. “You, my friend, are sorely mistaken.”
“Am I?”
I blushed immediately and clamped down on the garlic bread. This wasn’t going how I planned.
“Now tell me, who did you hear what from?” he asked.
“Cole,” I replied simply.
“You said yourself he wasn’t a reliable source.”
“And Google,” I confessed, flushing immediately.
Yes, it was true. I had become one of those I had sworn I wouldn’t and may have Googled him once or twice in the last few weeks. But I did find out some very interesting tidbits. For instance, it appeared he never made it to an event alone, including the one at the winery where I first
“So you have no code when it comes to dating friends of your brothers, but you do have a code when it comes to me?” My eyes fell to his lips and my traitor of an imagination pictured his mouth tracing down my collarbone. I shook my head to squash the vision. His eyes were full of amusement when I looked back up, and I swore he knew what I was thinking. The tension between us was almost unbearable, and I caught myself shredding my napkin under the table.
“That’s not what I meant. Of course, I wouldn’t date my brothers’ friends, but it also happens that I don’t like Cole. He’s lazy and he gives me the willies.”
“The willies?” Aaron’s laughter caught the attention of some of the techies in line, and I couldn’t help but smile. “So quite possibly, it sounds like I don’t give you the willies, which is in turn why you enacted your code with me. You needed some forsaken reason to keep me away.”
He was wearing me down. He knew it and I knew it. And I no longer cared as he watched me closely.
“There is no code. And I think we both know why I’m keeping you away.”
“I don’t think you should hide us from my sister,” Aaron continued.
“There is no us.” I fumbled with my napkin as my heart started pounding.
“Not yet. But there will be.”
His frankness was disarming and so was his intent. There was no escaping from him this time, and I’d be lying to myself if I tried to run anyway. It no longer seemed as if we were in the middle of a lively city. It felt like it was only the two of us on the patio as his eyes bored into me, stilling everything around me but my hammering heart.
“All I’m asking for is one date. A proper date,” he said, sliding his tray to the side. “And then make up your mind whether I’m worth investing any time into.” The coy smile reappeared on his lips as he awaited my answer as if he knew I’d be unable to turn him down.
“What about the others?”
“Others?” he repeated. His brow quirked up slightly, as he sat back in the chair.
I nodded, watching the intensity of his expression change behind his eyes.
“I’m asking for one date,” he muttered, glancing at the lunch crowd. He looked uneasy and I wasn’t sure if it was because I knew there were others or because I was pinning him down.
“And I’m asking whether that one date will just put me in the lineup?” I stared directly into his hardening gaze. “Because that’s not what I’m looking for.”
“What are you looking for?” his voice was low, and I watched the strain in his jaw as the muscles contracted.
“Something more if the fit is right, and I’m not sure you’re capable. From what I’ve heard—”
“Heard?” His eyes stayed on mine. “From who?”
“That doesn’t matter, but I’ve seen it for myself. The way you treated that poor woman.”
His laughter was cold and distant. “At the bar?”
I nodded suddenly not feeling so sure of myself.
“I had just met her. I had no interest in her. Should I have led her on and made her feel like—” He removed his jacket and my eyes couldn’t help but stumble over his chest. God, he looked sensational. “Like I make you feel?”
“Who said anything about me feeling any sort of way,” I protested, shaking my head. “You, my friend, are sorely mistaken.”
“Am I?”
I blushed immediately and clamped down on the garlic bread. This wasn’t going how I planned.
“Now tell me, who did you hear what from?” he asked.
“Cole,” I replied simply.
“You said yourself he wasn’t a reliable source.”
“And Google,” I confessed, flushing immediately.
Yes, it was true. I had become one of those I had sworn I wouldn’t and may have Googled him once or twice in the last few weeks. But I did find out some very interesting tidbits. For instance, it appeared he never made it to an event alone, including the one at the winery where I first
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