Page 21 of Love Me Carefully
She sighed. “Look, I don’t subscribe to that whole philosophy of ‘meant to be’ and ‘happily ever after’, so I really couldn’t tell you.”
Seeing that she was having a hard time and, despite her previous protests that she didn’t need his help, he went to stand beside her, taking a firm hold of the book. “Then why plan weddings if you don’t believe in them?”
She tried to pull the book away from him, but he held firm, his gaze holding hers. With a shake of her head, she loosened her grip and he nodded slightly before slipping it effortlessly into the bag.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“You didn’t answer my question.” He caught her wrist when she would’ve walked around him toward the door.
“I plan weddings because I love to do it.” Her tone was somber. “I love creating a fantasy for people even if I don’t believe in the fantasy myself. It’s my job, not my life. I keep the two totally separate. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”
She smelled good. Nothing overpowering, something soft and quietly sweet, just like her. She pulled her arm from his grasp, but he moved quicker than she did, and now stood in the doorway. He probably needed to re-think the blocking her path move before she decided it was threatening or harassing, which he certainly didn’t intend it to be. The thought of their time together coming to an end, just didn’t sit well with him. “Have dinner with me.” That wasn’t what he meant to say. Or was it? Of course not, he hadn’t planned to ask her out. Had he?
Leah gripped her bag and purse tightly, staring at him in disbelief. “What? Why?”
He chuckled, hoping the sound would break the tension. “Because I like talking to you.”
She pursed her lips. “You like grilling me about a job you don’t understand? Or is it that you want to find something wrong with your mother marrying Donald, and I’m your only link?”
She was sharp, he’d give her that, even though those reasons had nothing to do with his wanting her to have dinner with him. “No. Because I like talking to you.” His eyes fell to her lips and he wondered how they would taste, imagined they’d be as sweet as she smelled.
Leah looked away, then returned her gaze to him. “I don’t think dinner is a good idea.”
“Why?”
She had never been good at lying or beating around the bush so she simply blurted it out. “You’re really not my type.” And with that she took advantage of the element of surprise, turned and hastily walked out the door.
