Page 4 of Knight’s Seduction

And she’d never wanted anyone more in her entire life.

Before she could stop herself, she rushed to the window. He was striding down the street, a swagger to his walk that made her pulse race, and she wasn’t the only one who noticed. Gazes lingered on him, following him, people actually turning to watch as he strode by.

He moved like he was poised for something, just waiting to explode into action.

The door opened again and her heart sank when she saw who it was. Guilt over her reaction followed, and she forced herself to plaster on a bright smile. “David.”

David smiled back as he moved closer, and not for the first time, she had to fight the urge to recoil. She didn’t understand it; he was a perfectly nice man, handsome, but the feeling grew stronger every time they were together, every time he tried to touch her.

David was her father’s boss. Meredith had met him at the company’s Christmas party, and he’d asked her out. Her parents had insisted she go. He was young, successful, the CEO of the company, and her father wanted to keep him happy. So she did what she was told. Like she always did.

All her life, she’d struggled to make friends, to fit in—to be “normal.”

She didn’t know what normal meant, but Meredith was sure she wasn’t it. She’d learned early that she didn’t think like other people, so now she kept her thoughts to herself. She didn’t care about the things they did either.

Her whole life, she’d felt…disconnected from, well…everything and everyone.

She never understood it, still didn’t, and had spent her life doing what her parents told her to, trying to fit in, desperate for their approval, for whatever scraps of affection she could get.

It wasn’t like she had any idea what she wanted for herself, anyway, so why not let them decide?

She and David had been dating for a couple of months now, and he seemed to like her. So she’d keep on saying yes, because that’s what was expected. It was what “normal” people did. And it was nice to be liked, to please her parents finally.

Maybe, just maybe, if she kept doing what her parents told her to, eventually she’d feel like everyone else. Maybe one day she’d wake up and the awful loneliness, the gaping hole inside her would be gone, and she’d be like everyone else.

“How’s my girl?” David said, gaze moving over her.

“Good. I didn’t know you were coming in tonight?” She kept the smile on her face even though for some reason it was more of a struggle than usual.

He kissed her cheek, and she had to stop herself from pulling away.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“That was sweet.” A weird feeling fluttered in her belly and began to build behind her chest.

Urgency.

The feeling was urgency, but for what?

David reached for her again, but she pulled back, almost stumbling over a chair behind her.

“Are you okay?”

“Sorry, I uh…thought Frank called me.”

Frank, the owner and cook of the diner, had not called for her. He was probably asleep back there.

David took her shoulders, rubbing them, his smile back and wider than ever. “I talked to your father tonight.”

The feeling inside her grew. “What about?”

“I think you know.” He winked. “I’m taking you out for a very special date next Wednesday. I’ve booked Angelo’s.”

Angelo’s was where everyone proposed. David was going to ask her to marry him. What else could it be?

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I want you to give Frank his two weeks’ notice tonight, darling. You’ll be busy with other things after Wednesday night,” he said, confirming it.

She should be happy, shouldn’t she? This was what her parents wanted, what was expected, what was normal. She would quit her job, marry David, look after their home, and have their children.