Page 43 of Arranging Ayra
“I absolutely love how you love this place,” I whispered.
He turned to face me, and his lips parted. I smiled, welcoming whatever it was that he might have to say to me. As his gaze darted from my eyes to my lips, to my nose and back to my eyes, his lips clamped shut and he remained silent.
Why had I not noticed it before? True, he didn’t have the refined airs of Mr. Darcy, but there was something about him that drew me in. He was very handsome in a rather earthy and rugged way. His unruly hair curled out from under his cap, and I suddenly longed to tuck it back in.
“I like your fashion sense,” I said for lack of anything more intelligent to say.
He chuckled. “I’m no Mr. Darcy. I just wear what works. I’m far more function than fashion.”
True, I wanted to say. He was far from having the showy mode of dress as Barnaby, but... somehow... it worked. As a matter of fact, it worked very well... very well indeed.
“You have your own fashion sense that is very appealing,” I managed to say.
He pressed his lips together, awkward and uncomfortable under my scrutinizing eyes.
With the sudden urge to kiss him and show him just how much I appreciated him, I inched closer. But he suddenly turned and walked away.
“We’d better get back,” he called over his shoulder, his steps heavy on the boards of the delicate bridge. “Keely made it abundantly clear that she wanted you back in time for lunch.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. Said something about a private lunch with you. I guess she wants to discuss some movie magic you guys are going to make.”
I rushed to keep up with him, still lost in the dense emotions that were suddenly plaguing me. Wait, I wanted to call out. But even from a distance I heard him start the engine.
I just barely had time to hop into the jeep that we were off and blazing down the dirt road. Dazed, I sat there, barely seeing the landscape as we returned to the manor.
I’d almost kissed him. Out of nowhere and so unexpected... I’d suddenly longed to kiss him. Jai. What in the world had gotten into me?
ELEVEN
Keely stood on the front steps of Moon Manor, waiting, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Darn it,” Jai let out under his breath. “I do hope I didn’t bring you back too late.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, amused at his polite choice of expletives. Jai was through and through a gentleman.
