Page 60 of By The Book
She blinked at him and swallowed hard. “Wasn’t…what?”
“Temporary. What if,” he drawled, seating himself on the edge of the table facing her, “you found out I was just a regular guy, working a regular job—here.”
Claire blinked, so confused because she wanted to believe this was more than a scene for Oliver to check his lighting and sound and yet…too afraid to believe in more.
What was Denz doing? Had he taken up acting? What part of this was real and what wasn’t? “What crime did I commit…exactly?”
Denz leaned toward her even more, not stopping until their noses almost touched.
“You stole my heart,” he said softly.
The air left her lungs in a huff, and Claire wet her lips, wishing they didn’t have an audience. “I… I suppose it’s only fair.”
“Because?”
“You stole mine.”
Denz’s gaze narrowed on her, and he shoved himself up and moved around the table until he stood behind her.
“You didn’t answer the question,” he said. “What if I wasthatguy? One who finally decided to put down roots. Would it make a difference?”
A regular guy with a regular job? It sounded heavenly. “It might,” she said, trying to play off the words as casually as possible.
“I need more than that, sweetheart.”
“It would,” she said, cheeks heating because she was literally chained to a table with an audience while they talked.
“Are you sure? Because you don’t date. You told me yourself…after you admitted to not reading your friend’s dating book.”
A sharp “Ha! Iknewit,” sounded from behind the scenes, and Claire recognized the voice as belonging to Marsali.
Soft laughter filled the area, and Claire bit back an embarrassed smile and shook her head. She’d have to apologize to Marsali later. “I didn’t read it because I didn’t think I was ready to date.”
“What about now?”
What about now? Was this really happening? “F-for the right guy, yes. I-I mean, if I metthatguy, I’d have no excuse or reason not to…see where things might go. Are you going to uncuff me?”
“I’m a by-the-book kind of guy. Regulations state the cuffs stay on until you confess. Do you confess?”
She smiled and shrugged. “Only if you confess first.”
From their audience, she heard someone say, “Thatta girl.”
Denz braced one hand on the table beside her, one on the back of her chair, and leaned close enough that she smelled his cologne and a hint of soap and coffee.
“I confess I like you, Claire Simmons. Enough to jump at a job offer and stick around because you…you make me want to. Now, are you going to date me or not?” he asked, the words whispered softly near her ear.
“Mmm.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Actually, it is.”
“How so?”
“Because I think I already am.”
“Cut!”
