Page 8 of Djinn in Love

“Ready to tell me now?” he asked when she lowered her glass.

She decided to continue to be completely honest. “It’s a romance novel by an author I really like, Brynne Asher.”

“What’s it called?” he asked.

She studied him but could only feel sincerity and curiosity radiating from him. He wasn’t judging her or humoring her. He genuinely wanted to know.

“It’s calledIllicit. I’ve been waiting for it to release for a while.” She toyed with the stem of her wineglass. “What do you usually read?”

During his intake interview, he said he enjoyed reading books, but didn’t go into detail.

Jasper shrugged. “I mostly read thrillers and horror. Sometimes, I’ll pick up a biography or some other non-fiction title that’s getting a lot of attention because I feel like I should try to enrich my mind.”

Veronica smiled at his words. “I think reading enriches your mind, no matter the genre.”

He tapped his wineglass against hers. “I like the way you think.”

Her shoulders relaxed at his words.

A woman came in carrying a charcuterie board. She smiled at both of them as she set it in the center of the table. “Is there anything else I can bring you at the moment?”

Jasper looked at Veronica, waiting for her to speak. When she shook her head, he answered, “No, thank you.”

She moved to a table by the door and brought back two menus. “I’ll return shortly to take your order for dinner.”

Still smiling, she left the room.

Veronica knew she was in over her head. He wanted her to convince his family they were dating, and she was ready to believe they were, too. They weren’t even halfway through this date. Meeting. Whatever this was.

“Tell me more about your family,” she said, picking up a piece of cheese from the board. “If you want them to believe we’re actually dating, I probably need to know something about them.”

He seemed surprised by her words. “If I want them to believe we’re actually dating?” he repeated.

She forced herself to pop the cheese into her mouth and chew as she nodded.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “I thought this was a date.”

Veronica blinked at him, feeling utterly pinned by those dark brown eyes. And the sensation of…hurt that seemed to be coming from him. It wasn’t intense, but it was there.

Before she could grasp onto the emotion, Jasper began speaking.

“My brother is two years younger than me. And since he met Prema and they started dating, it was clear he was serious about her. My mother’s been on my back ever since to find a nice woman and settle down. In her mind, as the oldest, I should be the first one to get married. The fact that I haven’t is driving her nuts, so she’s determined to take me along for the ride on the insanity bus.”

Veronica laughed at his words and the dry delivery.

“Do your parents give you a hard time about being single?” he asked.

Her humor vanished immediately. His question reminded her of her plan. The plan to get him to drop this fake dating nonsense. But now, she didn’t want to say it. Not when the evening had been lovely so far and he’d gone to so much trouble.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked.

Veronica shook her head. “No, no. You didn’t.” She drained the rest of her wine, setting the empty glass back on the table. “My parents don’t expect me to form relationships or eventuallyget married. They know it will be very difficult for me to find a man who could accept me.”

He scowled at her. “Why in the hell would they think that? You’re perfect.”

Though he looked angry, Veronica could sense that it wasn’t directed toward her, but rather her parents. And his words…they made her entire body feel warm. He thought she was perfect? If he did, he was the only one.

Her face flushed again, something she hated. Her fair skin meant that she blushed easily.

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