bottle of champagne. As dinner progressed, it became more and more obvious that I wasn’t going to be able to resist him much longer. He was funny, kind, charming, smart, and sexy. In short- he was too good to be true, and for some reason he didn’t seem to know that he was out of my league.
To cover my blossoming feelings, I drank. A lot. Unfortunately, that also had the effect of loosening my tongue.
“I’ve never been in love,” I said, waving my fork in the air. “Does that strike you as abnormal? I’m nearly 22 and I’ve never been in love.”
“You’ve got plenty of time for that,” Dexter said with humor dancing in his eyes.
“I don’t know if I even want that.” I slammed down my fork a little too hard, rattling my plate. “My father loved my mother and look where that got him. Dead.”
Dexter coughed uncomfortably. “I’m not sure those two things are directly related.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
“No.” The long look he gave me was intense. “For a very long time, I wasn’t sure I believed in falling in love.”
“Typical guy,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“Give me a chance to explain. I believed that people thought they were falling in love, but really they were just deciding to love someone.” His foot grazed mine under the table. “But I think I’m beginning to change my mind.”
“You are?” I swallowed hard.
He reached over, his fingers skimming the top of my hand and making my skin tingle. “Maybe I just hadn’t found the right girl.”
“Maybe not.” I opened my hand our fingers threaded together. “How many more stops tonight?”
“One. Maybe two, if you’re up for it.”
“Let’s go.”
Our next stop turned out to be right around the corner. This was one that even I recognized.
“The Eye?”
“It’s our last touristy stop of the night, but an important one.” He took my hand and pulled me to the front of the line.
“What’s so important about this place?” I asked, wilting under the angry glares of the people waiting in line.
Dexter stopped and pulled me closer. “This is where you’re going to decide that you don’t want to be just friends with me.”
“Oh it is?”
He turned away and approached the young guy taking tickets. After a quick conversation and a handshake that no doubt covered for an exchange of money, he stepped back.
“Let’s go. Step forward.”
I eyed Dexter suspiciously, but he gave me an innocent look.
“Step on!”
The glass car came around, door open, and we stepped inside while it was still moving. I expected a dozen more people to fill the car behind us, but the door closed with just Dexter and me inside.
“What did this cost you?” I asked.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Dexter came close to me and took my hands. “This whole trip around takes about thirty minutes. That should be more than enough time for me to convince you.”
“Convince me of what?”
“That I’m worth the risk.”
Locked in the car with no other distractions, it was impossible not to become overwhelmed by my feelings. Desire, passion, attraction, and even fondness. Yes, I had to admit to myself that I adored Dexter Sanders.
“I think the city looks even better at night,” I said, stepping away from him and toward the glass wall. The river was just below us, Big Ben just across the way. But as much as I tried to focus on the view, all I could really think about was the amazing man standing behind me.
He moved closer, brushing against my back. I stood very still, taking shallow breaths. “This has been a really nice day,” I said, my voice hushed.
“I agree.”
I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. My body responded with a warm flush. “I almost don’t want it to end.”
“It doesn’t have to.” His hand caressed my shoulder, moving down my arm.
I caught his reflection in the glass, saw the desire in his icy eyes. It matched my own. Our eyes locked and my breath hitched.
Dexter’s
To cover my blossoming feelings, I drank. A lot. Unfortunately, that also had the effect of loosening my tongue.
“I’ve never been in love,” I said, waving my fork in the air. “Does that strike you as abnormal? I’m nearly 22 and I’ve never been in love.”
“You’ve got plenty of time for that,” Dexter said with humor dancing in his eyes.
“I don’t know if I even want that.” I slammed down my fork a little too hard, rattling my plate. “My father loved my mother and look where that got him. Dead.”
Dexter coughed uncomfortably. “I’m not sure those two things are directly related.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
“No.” The long look he gave me was intense. “For a very long time, I wasn’t sure I believed in falling in love.”
“Typical guy,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“Give me a chance to explain. I believed that people thought they were falling in love, but really they were just deciding to love someone.” His foot grazed mine under the table. “But I think I’m beginning to change my mind.”
“You are?” I swallowed hard.
He reached over, his fingers skimming the top of my hand and making my skin tingle. “Maybe I just hadn’t found the right girl.”
“Maybe not.” I opened my hand our fingers threaded together. “How many more stops tonight?”
“One. Maybe two, if you’re up for it.”
“Let’s go.”
Our next stop turned out to be right around the corner. This was one that even I recognized.
“The Eye?”
“It’s our last touristy stop of the night, but an important one.” He took my hand and pulled me to the front of the line.
“What’s so important about this place?” I asked, wilting under the angry glares of the people waiting in line.
Dexter stopped and pulled me closer. “This is where you’re going to decide that you don’t want to be just friends with me.”
“Oh it is?”
He turned away and approached the young guy taking tickets. After a quick conversation and a handshake that no doubt covered for an exchange of money, he stepped back.
“Let’s go. Step forward.”
I eyed Dexter suspiciously, but he gave me an innocent look.
“Step on!”
The glass car came around, door open, and we stepped inside while it was still moving. I expected a dozen more people to fill the car behind us, but the door closed with just Dexter and me inside.
“What did this cost you?” I asked.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Dexter came close to me and took my hands. “This whole trip around takes about thirty minutes. That should be more than enough time for me to convince you.”
“Convince me of what?”
“That I’m worth the risk.”
Locked in the car with no other distractions, it was impossible not to become overwhelmed by my feelings. Desire, passion, attraction, and even fondness. Yes, I had to admit to myself that I adored Dexter Sanders.
“I think the city looks even better at night,” I said, stepping away from him and toward the glass wall. The river was just below us, Big Ben just across the way. But as much as I tried to focus on the view, all I could really think about was the amazing man standing behind me.
He moved closer, brushing against my back. I stood very still, taking shallow breaths. “This has been a really nice day,” I said, my voice hushed.
“I agree.”
I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. My body responded with a warm flush. “I almost don’t want it to end.”
“It doesn’t have to.” His hand caressed my shoulder, moving down my arm.
I caught his reflection in the glass, saw the desire in his icy eyes. It matched my own. Our eyes locked and my breath hitched.
Dexter’s
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