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That time she was sure that she heard him wrong because there was no way in hell he had just said that. She must've been dreaming. He was simply teasing her. She opened her mouth to protest.
"Yes, you definitely heard correctly," he said. She paused, confused. Had she spoken out loud? Did he read her mind? Was he flirting with her?
"Thank you. Are you hitting on me?"
She tried hard to keep the panic out of her voice. Even if it was a dream and he wasn't going to kill her, she still needed to avoid thinking they could have a relationship. Maybe if she played dumb long enough, it would become her reality.
He chuckled lightly before responding. "I guess I am. Does that bother you?" He was clearly expecting her to say no because his eyes seemed to light up when he saw her shake her head.
"Not at all. I wouldn't mind," she said quickly. Her heart raced faster than ever as the butterflies flew freely, and her body warmed more than it had in ages. Why did he make her feel so nervous?
He smiled. "Good, because this is going to work out very well for both of us." The smile disappeared, his expression turning serious.
"We need each other. You need to stay out of the limelight while I do my job. You don't want someone to know who you are. Do you understand?"
What was he implying? Of course, she agreed. Why else would they be here? But he seemed to read her mind again. "Exactly," he said, though this time she knew she hadn’t spoken out loud.
There was something about his tone that told her that he knew exactly what she was thinking. She didn't know how, but she was certain that it was true. He was reading her mind.
"I'm sorry, but I don’t understand. What are you saying?"
His face softened, and he reached out to touch her hand.
"I'm telling you to trust me. I'll protect you."
Liz waited patiently while Ben tried to think of a suitable plan, but nothing came to mind. They both sat in silence, neither one saying anything for what seemed like forever. Her stomach twisted and churned.
She shouldn’t have agreed to this. He was dangerous and unpredictable, but she couldn't deny that everything about him drew her in. The way his eyes sparkled, the way he talked, the fact that he was the first interesting man to show any interest inher.
She smiled softly. "Thanks."
There was silence once more for a few more seconds before he broke it again. "Maybe you can explain something to me. I'm having trouble understanding how a woman like you is still single."
That statement sent her reeling. Her eyes snapped up to his, her cheeks immediately heating again. Did he just say that? At first, she was not sure how to respond.
"I've gotten tired of the men who usually ask me out," she said. “They are uninteresting and far too boring. It's almost as if they are expecting me to just ... give them a go."
Her eyes were dark as they watched him, her voice sounding tired.
"I'm sick of those same men telling me that they want a chance, only for them to turn on me when the moment passes. What good does it do them? What makes them any different than the rest of the men out there?"
He stared back at her, his eyes intense. She wondered what he must be thinking.
"Why don't you try dating someone else?" he asks, his voice soft.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "What?"
"You said you were sick of the men asking you out. Why don't you date someone else?"
Her face fell, and she shook her head. "No one would ever want to date me."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "I guess I didn't expect someone like you to be available."
She could tell he was trying to lighten the mood, and she appreciated it. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and she could barely catch her breath, but she managed to keep a neutral expression on her face.
"Well, if I'm being honest, I am pretty boring," she said with a laugh.
He smiled. "I think you're interesting. Maybe you just need to date a real man ... or maybe even a man who’s half-tiger."
