Page 10 of Wish For Me

He rubbed her belly with his long, tapered fingers. “Good girl.”

I swallowed. I had to remind myself he was talking to the dog.

I thought about Patrick, who sniffed if a dog came too close to him on the street. But thinking about Patrick made me think about what I’d been planning on doing tonight.

Leif looked over at me, his smile making something melt inside of me. “You okay?”

“Yes,” I said.Just thinking you would have been the perfect one night stand.

I licked my lips. Shit. I must look insane.

But Leif’s eyes dropped to my mouth.

He stared just a moment too long at my mouth. “Noelle, I—” He ran a hand over the back of his neck.

“Do you want to sit down?” I blurted.

“Okay,” he said, his voice tight. Could he feel the tension that had picked up between us?

The bed sank down under his weight.

My heart thudded in my chest. I felt like I was at pivotal decision point. Did I clear my throat and make some small talk? Ask him how long he was in town for? Or did I do something else?

I looked up at Leif. He was so close. I inhaled his clean scent. “I didn’t tell you why I was downtown,” I blurted out.

He met my eyes. “You don’t need to, if you don’t want.” He knew something was up with me.

I darted my glance sideways, nerves threatening to clam me up. But then I thought about all the lessons I’d learned about dealing with nerves. Stage fright. Jitters. I pictured the calm, safe place in my mind I went to when I needed to remember lines that were evading me.

“I broke up with my boyfriend this morning. I found him in a delicate position.

Leif frowned.

“I found him in a delicate situation with my boss, actually. My mentor.”

Leif’s eyes went wide. “Asshole.”

“The thing is, I was unhappy with Patrick for a long time. He was a shit boyfriend, but he wanted to be the only actor in our relationship. He liked it better when I worked offstage, in the wings. Ididlike working backstage, but he made me feel like it was a step down.”

“Colossal asshole,” Leif said.

Was it just me or had I inched closer to him?

“I was upset. So… I went to the bar to see if I could find someone to bring home with me.”

Leif’s pupils dilated. “Oh.” His voice was hoarse.

That tension grew thicker, snapping like live wire. Or maybe that was my nerves, fizzing with my boldness.

“I was upset,” I continued. “So I went looking for a distraction. Once I got there, the idea lost its appeal. Only now…” I met his eyes. “Now I think I changed my mind.”

I could see the pulse at Leif’s throat. “Noelle,” he said, his voice as rough as sandpaper. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to…be with you. I just…” He looked like he was struggling with himself. “I don’t think you should do something you’re going to regret.”

I angled myself toward him. “What if I don’t regret it? What if it’s exactly what I need right now?”

I could see him fighting. “Noelle—”

“You’re a good guy, Leif. But that’s not what I need tonight.”

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