many miles. Yeah, she was definitely developing a crush on Adam Templeton.
She really needed to get a bead on how he felt about her. She thought about the old days, when fathers collared the men who were dating their daughters and demanded to know their intentions. She could use a custom like that right now.
Except it was totally impractical in this day and age. When she’d been in high school, her father had been more than happy to interfere in her love life, but she’d lived on her own for many years and that dynamic had gone by the wayside. She couldn’t very well ask her dad to drive up from Houston and question Adam about his intentions.
She pushed back her chair. “Thank you for lunch. And give Will my best when you see him.”
“Are you walking out on me?” He said it with a teasing grin as he stood.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, but you said you have business to take care of, so I thought I’d get out of your hair.” After standing, she took her purse from the back of her chair.
“My business isn’t that urgent. I figured on walking you back and riding up the elevator with you, unless you don’t want me to.”
“Well, then, I’d love that.” She wouldn’t be seeing him again until Wednesday afternoon, so any added moments today would be a bonus. “I just didn’t want to monopolize your time with my elevator phobia.”
He paused. “It was a great excuse to see you, Valerie,” he said quietly.
“Oh.” Her cheeks warmed. “That’s good to hear.”
“Twice a week doesn’t seem often enough.”
Her breath caught. “It doesn’t?” She cautioned herself not to read too much into that statement. A guy could say that kind of heady thing and still only be interested in a no-strings affair.
“No. In fact . . . will you have dinner with me tonight? I know it’s short notice, but—”
“Yes.” Well, she certainly wasn’t playing hard to get, now was she? But she was impatient to find out if this flirtation would lead anywhere. She wanted him to be her knight in shining armor, but she didn’t know if he wanted the role or not.
“Great.” He smiled. “I’m meeting Will around five, but I’ll hustle him off to his wife by six. I can pick you up around six thirty.”
“Okay.” Anticipation shot through her, making her tingle all over.
“It won’t be too fancy.” He waited until she’d started for the café’s front door, yet he somehow managed to get there in time to hold it open for her. “I didn’t come prepared with a dinner jacket.”
“I don’t care about fancy.” And the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to be waited on in a public place. And it had nothing to do with any concern that panic would set in. After today’s lunch, she wasn’t so worried about that.
But eating in a restaurant would mean more polite conversation about their likes and dislikes. Been there, done that. She was ready to take things to the next level. Until they did that, she couldn’t broach the subject near to her heart—namely, his motives for pursuing her. What she required was a bit more privacy.
She wasn’t a great cook, but she could manage spaghetti, and during their lunch conversation he’d already confirmed that he liked that. If she used one of the really good sauces in a jar and grated her own cheese, it should be decent. Add a bagged salad, a bottle of wine, and voilà!
They held hands on the way back to the office, and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. In her heels, she was only a few inches shorter than he was. She wasn’t sure if he matched his stride to hers, but they walked well together. That meant something, right?
“How did the visit with Bubba’s owner go?” she asked as they approached her building.
“He worries me a little. That’s why I’m checking with my lawyers this afternoon to make sure the amended contract will hold up.”
She squeezed his hand. “You’ll be able to protect that little guy. I have faith in
She really needed to get a bead on how he felt about her. She thought about the old days, when fathers collared the men who were dating their daughters and demanded to know their intentions. She could use a custom like that right now.
Except it was totally impractical in this day and age. When she’d been in high school, her father had been more than happy to interfere in her love life, but she’d lived on her own for many years and that dynamic had gone by the wayside. She couldn’t very well ask her dad to drive up from Houston and question Adam about his intentions.
She pushed back her chair. “Thank you for lunch. And give Will my best when you see him.”
“Are you walking out on me?” He said it with a teasing grin as he stood.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, but you said you have business to take care of, so I thought I’d get out of your hair.” After standing, she took her purse from the back of her chair.
“My business isn’t that urgent. I figured on walking you back and riding up the elevator with you, unless you don’t want me to.”
“Well, then, I’d love that.” She wouldn’t be seeing him again until Wednesday afternoon, so any added moments today would be a bonus. “I just didn’t want to monopolize your time with my elevator phobia.”
He paused. “It was a great excuse to see you, Valerie,” he said quietly.
“Oh.” Her cheeks warmed. “That’s good to hear.”
“Twice a week doesn’t seem often enough.”
Her breath caught. “It doesn’t?” She cautioned herself not to read too much into that statement. A guy could say that kind of heady thing and still only be interested in a no-strings affair.
“No. In fact . . . will you have dinner with me tonight? I know it’s short notice, but—”
“Yes.” Well, she certainly wasn’t playing hard to get, now was she? But she was impatient to find out if this flirtation would lead anywhere. She wanted him to be her knight in shining armor, but she didn’t know if he wanted the role or not.
“Great.” He smiled. “I’m meeting Will around five, but I’ll hustle him off to his wife by six. I can pick you up around six thirty.”
“Okay.” Anticipation shot through her, making her tingle all over.
“It won’t be too fancy.” He waited until she’d started for the café’s front door, yet he somehow managed to get there in time to hold it open for her. “I didn’t come prepared with a dinner jacket.”
“I don’t care about fancy.” And the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to be waited on in a public place. And it had nothing to do with any concern that panic would set in. After today’s lunch, she wasn’t so worried about that.
But eating in a restaurant would mean more polite conversation about their likes and dislikes. Been there, done that. She was ready to take things to the next level. Until they did that, she couldn’t broach the subject near to her heart—namely, his motives for pursuing her. What she required was a bit more privacy.
She wasn’t a great cook, but she could manage spaghetti, and during their lunch conversation he’d already confirmed that he liked that. If she used one of the really good sauces in a jar and grated her own cheese, it should be decent. Add a bagged salad, a bottle of wine, and voilà!
They held hands on the way back to the office, and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. In her heels, she was only a few inches shorter than he was. She wasn’t sure if he matched his stride to hers, but they walked well together. That meant something, right?
“How did the visit with Bubba’s owner go?” she asked as they approached her building.
“He worries me a little. That’s why I’m checking with my lawyers this afternoon to make sure the amended contract will hold up.”
She squeezed his hand. “You’ll be able to protect that little guy. I have faith in
Similar Books
