have thought and she had to tilt her face to look at him. “I could have easily stopped by your shop to ask you these questions. I waited for this evening because I really would like to take you to dinner.”
The genuine look on his face convinced her he was telling her the truth, but it didn’t change anything. Connor Ortega was exactly the type of man she didn’t want to be with. Lauren went to touch her wrist when he beat her to it. The warmth of his skin burned into hers. He had a sensual aura about him that one could only be born with. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the woman for him to use it on.
“I can’t,” Lauren replied, her voice barely a whisper. She cleared her throat and forced herself to step away. She was grateful that he let his fingers slide off of her wrist. Turning, she quickly walked to the door. “I wish you luck in your investigation. I’m sorry you wasted your time.”
* * * *
Connor felt like he was watching a wary feline making her way to safety. It was obvious she was a strong-willed, business-savvy woman who was used to being independent. It was what was underneath the mask that he was interested in.
Lauren had used some sort of clip to keep her hair up and away from her face. Her curls ran amok and seemed to rain down around head. He couldn’t help but watch the way the cream denim hugged her ass as she walked across the floor. The rich green of her silk buttoned-down shirt brought out the deep auburn color of her hair and made him want to remove the clip. The nervous gesture that she did with her wrist didn’t escape his notice either. Why did he make her so apprehensive?
“Are you seeing someone?” Connor asked, not moving from his spot in the kitchen. He needed to know why she was turning him down. His chest tightened as he awaited her answer. “I apologize if I’ve overstepped.”
“No,” Lauren replied, but immediately bit her lip. He fought back a smile as she realized her mistake and welcomed the relief he felt over her response. This meant there was no reason she couldn’t spend time with him. They were close in age, so what was her hang-up? “I just…don’t think it would be a good idea. I’m not looking for anything permanent right now.”
“Then we’re on the same page. I’m not looking for anything along those lines either.” Connor reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his phone. He held it up for her to see. “If you’d rather eat in, I know a great Chinese restaurant that delivers. I think I asked you this before, but have you already eaten?”
“No, I haven’t. ”
Again, Connor got the feeling that she recognized her answer wasn’t what she should have conveyed. Did she know that her beautiful face telegraphed every emotion she was feeling? Her irritation was making itself known, but Connor felt not the slightest bit guilty for leading her to where he wanted this to go.
“ Mr. Ortega, you’ve asked your questions and I’ve answered them. There’s really no need to take this further.”
“Lauren, it’s just dinner.” The more time s she turned him down, the more he wanted this meal to take place. She made him want to know more about her. “And please call me Connor. Mr. Ortega is my father.”
Lauren’s green eyes seemed to come to life and deepen in color. She left the safe haven of what could have been his exit and marched herself into the middle of the room. At least her short-tempered reaction got her to release her wrist and confirmed the old adage he’d always heard about redheads regarding their quick temper. He had to wonder about the other saying involving sexual fire.
“ Can we just face facts? Your looks alone could pay your way into any club, while I will never be able to fit into a size two. You play at the clubs and I don’t. You’re a Dom and I’m as vanilla as it gets. So why are we even standing
The genuine look on his face convinced her he was telling her the truth, but it didn’t change anything. Connor Ortega was exactly the type of man she didn’t want to be with. Lauren went to touch her wrist when he beat her to it. The warmth of his skin burned into hers. He had a sensual aura about him that one could only be born with. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the woman for him to use it on.
“I can’t,” Lauren replied, her voice barely a whisper. She cleared her throat and forced herself to step away. She was grateful that he let his fingers slide off of her wrist. Turning, she quickly walked to the door. “I wish you luck in your investigation. I’m sorry you wasted your time.”
* * * *
Connor felt like he was watching a wary feline making her way to safety. It was obvious she was a strong-willed, business-savvy woman who was used to being independent. It was what was underneath the mask that he was interested in.
Lauren had used some sort of clip to keep her hair up and away from her face. Her curls ran amok and seemed to rain down around head. He couldn’t help but watch the way the cream denim hugged her ass as she walked across the floor. The rich green of her silk buttoned-down shirt brought out the deep auburn color of her hair and made him want to remove the clip. The nervous gesture that she did with her wrist didn’t escape his notice either. Why did he make her so apprehensive?
“Are you seeing someone?” Connor asked, not moving from his spot in the kitchen. He needed to know why she was turning him down. His chest tightened as he awaited her answer. “I apologize if I’ve overstepped.”
“No,” Lauren replied, but immediately bit her lip. He fought back a smile as she realized her mistake and welcomed the relief he felt over her response. This meant there was no reason she couldn’t spend time with him. They were close in age, so what was her hang-up? “I just…don’t think it would be a good idea. I’m not looking for anything permanent right now.”
“Then we’re on the same page. I’m not looking for anything along those lines either.” Connor reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his phone. He held it up for her to see. “If you’d rather eat in, I know a great Chinese restaurant that delivers. I think I asked you this before, but have you already eaten?”
“No, I haven’t. ”
Again, Connor got the feeling that she recognized her answer wasn’t what she should have conveyed. Did she know that her beautiful face telegraphed every emotion she was feeling? Her irritation was making itself known, but Connor felt not the slightest bit guilty for leading her to where he wanted this to go.
“ Mr. Ortega, you’ve asked your questions and I’ve answered them. There’s really no need to take this further.”
“Lauren, it’s just dinner.” The more time s she turned him down, the more he wanted this meal to take place. She made him want to know more about her. “And please call me Connor. Mr. Ortega is my father.”
Lauren’s green eyes seemed to come to life and deepen in color. She left the safe haven of what could have been his exit and marched herself into the middle of the room. At least her short-tempered reaction got her to release her wrist and confirmed the old adage he’d always heard about redheads regarding their quick temper. He had to wonder about the other saying involving sexual fire.
“ Can we just face facts? Your looks alone could pay your way into any club, while I will never be able to fit into a size two. You play at the clubs and I don’t. You’re a Dom and I’m as vanilla as it gets. So why are we even standing
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