Page 46 of New Growth
I scoffed. “I’ve never once read a comic book in all my twenty-seven years of life.”
His eyebrows lifted. “You’re twenty-seven?”
I tilted my head and watched his face, realizing a slight shock had settled in on it. “I am. How about you?”
He paused. “I’m thirty-nine.”
I blinked before taking in his appearance, trying my best not to look too shocked as well.
Thirty-nine? The man had less gray hair than me!
His dark, mahogany-colored skin was smooth and wrinkle-free, his physique was toned, and even with glasses, he looked like a man in his late twenties to early thirties. In fact, the only thing that aged him was his refined taste in clothing. His style favored sharp-tailored suits with a hint of wealth displayed in his jewelry, especially the golden crucifix on his neck. In fact, he kind of looked like a younger, more refined Denzel Washington inTraining Day.
“Wow. You don’t look thirty-nine at all,” I admitted.
He scoffed and then grinned like he had heard that sentence a million times before.
“But I am. Is my age a problem for you?” he asked, watching me closely.
I swallowed hard under his gaze. I had no problem saying no. It wasn’t like I was planning on dating him anyway.So, did it matter?
“No,” I said simply. “Not at all.”
“Good.” His lips curved. “I’d hate for that to throw you off before we get to know each other.”
I didn’t even bother asking if my age was a problem for him. It was clear it wasn’t. However, I was interested in his motive in all this.
“Hm. And just how deeply do you plan on getting to know me?”
“As deep as you allow. As deep as you’re ready for.”
I tilted my head. “Is that why you asked for this little meetup? To see if I’m ready?”
El didn’t hesitate. “I asked you here because I wanted to get to know you, Ellie.”
“Why?”
His expression softened like the answer was obvious. “Why do people usually want to get to know each other?”
“I’m not asking about other people. I’m asking about you,” I answered bluntly.
He looked amused at my retort, sipping his drink before responding.
“Well, Elliot. To put it simply, besides genuinely wanting to get to know you, I am extremely attracted to you. From the moment I mistakenly drank your coffee, I knew I had to get to know you. You’re intriguing to me. You carry yourself so gracefully, and you’reso well-spoken. I love the way you dress, sophisticated yet slightly seductive. I love the way you style your hair. And honestly, you smell really fucking good.”
Oh. Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no.
I looked down at the table, exhaling slowly and then clearing my throat. “Well, thank you for saying all that. I appreciate the interest, and I’m flattered. But I’m not looking for a relationship right now if that’s where you want this to lead.”
“Okay,” he said simply.
“You understand, right?”
“I do.”
“Good.”
“But,” he added, voice even, “that doesn’t change my interest in getting to know you.”
