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“Am I supposed to be moved? You think comparing me to your circus upstairs is going to touch me? What, you want me to be your next wounded animal to join your collection?”
“Ah,” I said slowly. Usually I saw a few steps ahead in conversations and would’ve caught the obvious hitch with that line of reasoning. People never really liked being compared to animals for some reason. It was the principle of it, probably. “I wasn’t trying to make a direct comparison there. I was only trying to say I think the most special bonds are the ones we have to work for.”
“Please tell me you’re not trying to bond with me.”
“Oh, I definitely am. And when I bond, I bond hard.”
She let out a long sigh. For once, the steely neutrality of her face fell. There was even an ounce of sympathy in her eyes. “I don’t have time for relationships, Travis. Even if you weren’t the biggest pain in my ass and completely not my type. Even if you were perfect for me, I wouldn’t have time. I have other priorities.”
“And that’s exactly your problem,” I said. “Love should always be priority number one.”
Some of that usual Elizabeth glare came back to her expression. “Love? Please don’t even use that word around me. Love is bullshit. You know my parents ‘loved’ each other right up until they didn’t. Now my dad ‘loves’ someone else. What’s the point of a word like that if you can just toss it aside when it’s not convenient?”
There it was. I took a step closer. “I understand you’re not ready to take your personal life as seriously as your work life. You still think things like fun and orgasms are luxuries, not necessities.”
“Did you just say—”
“So,” I continued. “I’ll make it easy for you. Go out with me tomorrow and I won’t come to your door asking you for any more dates or favors. It’ll be the last time I show up right here to bug you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why does your wording sound so strangely specific?”
“Does it?” I asked offhandedly. “Maybe the better question is why you seem so paranoid about my word choice?”
“Oh, gee, I wonder why,” she asked.
“There’s that lovely sarcasm again. I like it.”
“Well don’t,” she snapped. I might’ve been losing my mind, but I thought there was the slightest twinkle of amusement in her eyes when she said that.
I gave my best smile. “One more date. No parents this time. And I get to pick where we go.”
“I barely have two hours free tomorrow. The last thing—”
“Barely two hours is perfect. Besides, we kind of need to figure out how we’re going to convince your mother we are living together. Unless, of course, you want me to just take these bags right up to my place and we can actually get you settled in.”
Her lips snapped shut. She took another steadying breath. Was she trying meditation techniques to calm herself down? I wondered what was bothering her so much.
“If I let you take me somewhere tomorrow, you’ll stop bothering me?” she asked carefully.
“I won’t show up at your door demanding dates or favors anymore. That’s right.”
“Fine. Tomorrow from five to seven in the evening, and not a minute longer.”
“It’s a date.” I put my hand on her waist and leaned in for a celebratory kiss. She stopped me with her palm on my forehead. I grinned. “It was worth a shot.”
“You have as much chance of getting a kiss from me as you do of hitting the moon with a baseball.”
I tilted my head, eyebrows shooting up. “So you’re saying there’s a chance?”
“Goodnight, Travis.” She might’ve started to smile, but I couldn’t see the final picture because she slammed the door in my face.
Yeah. She definitely liked me.
9
ELIZABETH
Travis knocked on my door at exactly five the following evening. I happened to be dressed up from my day at the office. I checked myself in the mirror one last time before opening the door. He was wearing a suit as easily as any man I’d ever seen.
He made the jacket and slacks look as comfortable as pajamas. He had his crisp white shirt unbuttoned just a touch to reveal a hint of the crease between his pecs—the crease I was definitely not noticing. I forced my eyes up to meet his. He caught my gaze, then gave his eyebrows a little wiggle.
He ran a hand through his hair, which only briefly moved it before it flopped exactly back how it had been a moment ago. “You look lovely.”
“Stop that,” I said, walking out the door and closing it behind me.
“Are you excited?” he asked.
“Let me guess, our ride is waiting on the roof?”
“Oh,” he said, shaking his head. “One thing you’ll learn about me is I am highly observant. The more I get to know you, the better I’ll get at making you happy. You weren’t a fan of the helicopter extravagance—message received loud and clear. I think I’ve got the perfect remedy.”
