but a lying one at that.
Chapter 6
Rob dumped the remnants of their dinner into the trash bin and placed the empty tray on top. Ever since Tori had left, Bridget had been quiet, reserved. Gone was the sweet laughter that lifted his heart. Gone was the smile that brightened her face. Did she think he was dating Tori? Or had he depressed the heck out of her with their talk of Charlie?
Bridget emerged from the ladies’ room, limping. In fact, she’d had a hard time standing, claiming her muscles went on strike from her bike ride the other day. But if that were the case, shouldn’t it have affected both legs?
Only her left leg seemed to give her difficulties. She’d either hurt it falling off her bike, or it was the result of her accident last year. Would she ever tell him about that? Probably not until she knew him better, and the only way for that to happen meant ignoring Kate’s request—or demand—to stay away.
Bridget didn’t appear to be some fragile waif. She was strong and willful. Riding her bike in the rain proved that. Kate might hate him for making the moves on Bridget, but he wasn’t looking to date Kate.
“All set?” he asked.
She nodded and he held the door open for her. When she’d placed one leg inside the truck, he resisted the urge to lend her a hand. She grabbed the inside handle and slowly pulled herself up, wincing with each movement.
Once she was settled, he closed the cab door and sprinted to the driver’s side. On the ride back to the house, she kept her gaze focused on her lap. Something she had also done on the trip to the restaurant. Even on the day of her bicycle mishap, she had kept her gaze on Barnaby.
“Does my driving make you nervous?”
She smiled. “I wouldn’t say that, exactly.”
“Then what would you say? Exactly.”
“I’ve discovered I’m…less of a distraction if I don’t see what’s out there.”
She distracted him all right and it had nothing to do with her gazing out the window. “Then I’ll make sure to bring Barnaby next time. He’ll give you something to do.”
She gripped the armrest. “Next time?”
He pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition. “Sure. The next time we go out.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think there should be a next time.”
“I’m not dating her.” That only made her furrow her brows in confusion, so he clarified. “Tori, your cousin.”
Her face softened. “Oh.”
“But I’d like to date you.” He scooted across the bench.
The movement was a mistake. Her eyes widened in alarm. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Are you saying you’re not interested?”
“That’s not it.” She grasped the door handle. “It’s just a bad idea.”
She slipped out, but he wasn’t letting her get away so fast. Not that she was fast. He climbed out of the driver’s side and easily blocked her way. “Why is it a bad idea?”
“I hardly know you.” She stepped to the right.
He mirrored her movement. “So we should date.”
“I don’t think so.” She stepped to the left.
Again, he followed. “Am I repulsive to you?”
She huffed and folded her arms across her chest. “No, of course not.”
“Do I stink?” He brought his shirt up and sniffed.
A chuckle escaped as her lips curled at the edges. Her face softened.
“There it is,” he said.
“What?”
“Your smile. I thought it had left.” He ached to kiss her, to taste everything she had to offer. But it was too soon. Wasn’t it?
* * * *
Bridget nearly swooned with excitement. Part of her leaped for joy from his interest, thrilled he wasn’t dating Tori. But that was the old part. The part that existed before… The part that wasn’t scarred.
“What are you afraid of?” Rob took a step toward her, staring intently.
“I’m not afraid.” She stepped back right into the garage door. Oh yeah, that was showing him.
“Then why do you run?”
You’re dangerous to my heart. “You’re my landlord.
Chapter 6
Rob dumped the remnants of their dinner into the trash bin and placed the empty tray on top. Ever since Tori had left, Bridget had been quiet, reserved. Gone was the sweet laughter that lifted his heart. Gone was the smile that brightened her face. Did she think he was dating Tori? Or had he depressed the heck out of her with their talk of Charlie?
Bridget emerged from the ladies’ room, limping. In fact, she’d had a hard time standing, claiming her muscles went on strike from her bike ride the other day. But if that were the case, shouldn’t it have affected both legs?
Only her left leg seemed to give her difficulties. She’d either hurt it falling off her bike, or it was the result of her accident last year. Would she ever tell him about that? Probably not until she knew him better, and the only way for that to happen meant ignoring Kate’s request—or demand—to stay away.
Bridget didn’t appear to be some fragile waif. She was strong and willful. Riding her bike in the rain proved that. Kate might hate him for making the moves on Bridget, but he wasn’t looking to date Kate.
“All set?” he asked.
She nodded and he held the door open for her. When she’d placed one leg inside the truck, he resisted the urge to lend her a hand. She grabbed the inside handle and slowly pulled herself up, wincing with each movement.
Once she was settled, he closed the cab door and sprinted to the driver’s side. On the ride back to the house, she kept her gaze focused on her lap. Something she had also done on the trip to the restaurant. Even on the day of her bicycle mishap, she had kept her gaze on Barnaby.
“Does my driving make you nervous?”
She smiled. “I wouldn’t say that, exactly.”
“Then what would you say? Exactly.”
“I’ve discovered I’m…less of a distraction if I don’t see what’s out there.”
She distracted him all right and it had nothing to do with her gazing out the window. “Then I’ll make sure to bring Barnaby next time. He’ll give you something to do.”
She gripped the armrest. “Next time?”
He pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition. “Sure. The next time we go out.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think there should be a next time.”
“I’m not dating her.” That only made her furrow her brows in confusion, so he clarified. “Tori, your cousin.”
Her face softened. “Oh.”
“But I’d like to date you.” He scooted across the bench.
The movement was a mistake. Her eyes widened in alarm. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Are you saying you’re not interested?”
“That’s not it.” She grasped the door handle. “It’s just a bad idea.”
She slipped out, but he wasn’t letting her get away so fast. Not that she was fast. He climbed out of the driver’s side and easily blocked her way. “Why is it a bad idea?”
“I hardly know you.” She stepped to the right.
He mirrored her movement. “So we should date.”
“I don’t think so.” She stepped to the left.
Again, he followed. “Am I repulsive to you?”
She huffed and folded her arms across her chest. “No, of course not.”
“Do I stink?” He brought his shirt up and sniffed.
A chuckle escaped as her lips curled at the edges. Her face softened.
“There it is,” he said.
“What?”
“Your smile. I thought it had left.” He ached to kiss her, to taste everything she had to offer. But it was too soon. Wasn’t it?
* * * *
Bridget nearly swooned with excitement. Part of her leaped for joy from his interest, thrilled he wasn’t dating Tori. But that was the old part. The part that existed before… The part that wasn’t scarred.
“What are you afraid of?” Rob took a step toward her, staring intently.
“I’m not afraid.” She stepped back right into the garage door. Oh yeah, that was showing him.
“Then why do you run?”
You’re dangerous to my heart. “You’re my landlord.
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