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He tried to look contrite, but she could see he was hiding a smile. “I had to do something to distract me from my heartbreak. That’s all I’ve been doing ever since.”
She shook her head at him. “Don’t. We both know that if I’d said yes, Elaine’s turn would just have been delayed a day or two.”
He hung his head. She hadn’t expected him to be this playful. She’d expected him to be on a mission, to be charming or whatever was needed to ensure that she would fall into his bed at the end of the night. “If it’s any consolation, I regretted saying no.”
When he lifted his head, he was grinning. “You did? I believed you never gave me a second thought.”
“Oh, come on. You’re Antonio Di Giovanni.” What else could she say? She could hardly tell him how much she’d thought about him, or the fact that it was mostly at night, in bed, by herself. She felt her cheeks flush. What would he do with that knowledge? She’d never know because he’d never find out. “Let’s be real here. It’s you who never gave me another thought.”
“That’s not true. I think about you a lot.”
It was her turn to grin. “You do?”
“I do. I’m not going to go into all the details.” He gave her that sexy smile again, and it hit her like a shockwave, making her belly clench. If he was just working his lines, they were having the desired effect. “I wouldn’t want to embarrass either of us, but yes. I think about you.”
She nodded and looked up with relief when the waiter came to take their order.
“What changed?” she asked when he was gone.
“Changed?”
“You said you think about me. I would never have guessed that. And that’s not like you. You don’t normally leave a woman guessing.”
He shook his head. His smile was gone. Had she messed up? Was she calling him on his bullshit and he didn’t like it? She hoped not, but she’d started to relax with him. He’d started to feel like a friend, and she was a straight shooter with her friends.
To her surprise, he reached across the table and took hold of her hand. She let him.
“Mary Ellen. Do you want to know the truth?”
She nodded.
“The truth is I wasn’t ready for a woman like you. I’m not sure I am now, but I’d like to find out.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean … I’ve played the field. I’ve had fun. I’ve done all the meaningless sex. You’re not like that. With you, it would be meaningful. I wasn’t grown up enough before. I think I am now. I’d like to find out. Would you?”
She stared at him for a long moment, trying to puzzle out what he was talking about. If it was a line, it was a really tacky one. Did women really go for that? Sex with you will be meaningful, so on your back sweetie? Maybe they did. It didn’t do anything for her, though.
He was still holding her hand, waiting for her to reply. What could she say? Yes, she wanted to sleep with him, but the friendship she’d thought they might be starting here? That was probably out the window if he was feeding her lines like that. She smiled. “I don’t think it’ll be meaningful, but I think it could be fun.”
He squeezed her hand and let go. Sitting back in his chair, he looked so solemn. “You don’t see me as someone you’d want to date?”
She laughed. “I didn’t think you dated? At least, not more than once or twice.”
“I don’t generally.”
She really wasn’t sure what he was trying to do. She’d wanted to make it clear that yes, she was up for sleeping with him, but he was still trying to feed her lines about dating. “At the risk of blowing it here—cut the crap, okay?”
“That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to be upfront, no BS, and ask you if there’s a chance of us dating—getting to know each other.”
It was Mary Ellen’s turn to sit back. “Seriously?”
He nodded.
“I thought you just wanted … to … you know.”
The hint of a smile played on his lips. “Of course I want that. But more than that, I’d like for us to go out, for real. What do you think?”
