Page 65 of Midnight Valentine
He puts his fingers over my lips to silence me. It’s a reflex, because he blinks when he realizes he’s done it, his brows drawing together in surprise. Then it’s as if he can’t look away from his fingers touching my mouth. He stares, fascinated, as he slowly traces the bow of my upper lip with his trembling forefinger.
I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. I close my eyes and stand there, feeling every beat of my heart on a cellular level, unsure if I’m going to faint or laugh or cry.
I want him to kiss me so much, it’s a firestorm in my blood.
My voice comes out low and raw. “If you won’t answer me, I need you to stay away from me. Do you understand? I can’t…this is…it’s too much.”
I open my eyes and gaze up at him. He’s frozen, staring back at
me with tortured eyes.
“I’m strong because I’ve had to be, but you make me feel like I might be losing my mind. You make me…feel. Things. All these goddamn things that I don’t know what to do with, okay? I can’t deal with this, Theo, all this…”
Getting choked up, I struggle for a word. “Emotion. Being around you is like being lit on fire and thrown out of a plane and surviving the hard fall to earth, only to realize I’ve landed in a village of cannibals. And it’s dinnertime!”
I break away from him and stumble around the potted palms, angrily swatting their spidery fronds from my face. I hurry back to the table, arriving just as the waiter does. Craig takes one look at my expression and knows something’s wrong.
“Megan?”
“I’m fine.” I drop into my chair, grab the menu, and pretend to look it over, but all I can see is a certain person’s face staring back at me. That face with its slightly crooked nose and scars, even more appealing because of its flaws.
“Good evening.” The waiter bows. “I’m Michael, and I’ll be serving you tonight. Have you had a chance to review the menu?”
Craig takes charge, earning my gratitude. I doubt if I could hold up my end of a conversation at the moment. My body is still set to Theo Thermonuclear mode.
“Good evening. We’re still deciding on our entrées, but may we please have a bottle of the Sea Smoke pinot noir to start, along with the crab cake appetizer?”
“Very good, sir. I’ll bring the wine out straight away.”
He walks off, leaving me along with Craig, who is looking at me intently over the top of my menu.
“I’m sorry,” he says.
Startled, I glance up at him. “For what?”
“For upsetting you.”
I retort, “For propositioning me, you mean.”
“No,” he says, holding my gaze. “I’m not sorry for that. Only that it made you uncomfortable.”
Blood floods my face. I look to the menu for help, but Craig isn’t letting me off the hook so easily.
“I haven’t been on a real date in a long time.”
I snort like a farm animal.
“I’m being serious, Megan. For the past ten years, all my attention has been on building my business.”
I ask tartly, “Are you trying to tell me you’ve been celibate for a decade?”
“I’m trying to tell you that the women I’ve been with are like your friend Suzanne. Easily available. No strings attached. That worked great for me because I wasn’t interested in anything long-term. Lately, I’ve been rethinking that.”
His gaze is serious but sincere. Now I’m even more flustered. Uncertain how to respond, I fiddle with my fork.
“Here’s my point, then we’ll drop it because, judging by the color of your cheeks, you’re not enjoying the conversation.” He pauses briefly. “I’m shit at taking things slow. I’m shit at being patient. I don’t like to waste time. I’m not into playing games. I’m blunt, but I’m also real. You’ll always know where you stand with me, I can promise you that. And right now, I can tell you with all honesty that you’re the most interesting woman I’ve met in years. I’m extremely attracted to you, and I think you’re attracted to me too, but you’re not ready to act on it.
“So we’ll take it slow. We’ll get to know each other. You’ll tell me when I’m being overbearing, and I’ll respect your boundaries. But while we’re doing all that, I might occasionally slip up and do or say something you’ll find offensive, and you’re going to have to call me out on it because it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted anything serious with a woman. I don’t want to fuck it up.”
