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My eyes flutter open, and I catch sight of the rose again. Relief seizes me.
Finally,I think.Something to criticize.
I open my mouth to remind him about my “no flowers” rule.
But he speaks before I manage to say anything. “I know you did warn me about ever getting you flowersagain,” he says with a small smile as he holds the rose out. “So, I got you a singlerose.”
I hate to admit it, but he’s amusing at worst and downright adorable at best. I settle for amusing as I yank the rose from him and fling it inside my apartment, ensuring my face is as impassive as ever.
“Let’s go,” I say, pushing past him and slamming the door behind me. He follows behind, and I keep a careful distance between us as we walk down the flight of stairs. The last thing I want is to pass out from being too close to him.
Outside the building, Brandon’s Tesla is waiting. He pulls open the door, and I slip into the passenger seat, almost squishing…another rose.
“You said oneflower,” I say to him when he enters the car, waving the offending rose in his face.
“At a time,” he retorts, flashing me a grin.
“You’re going to have to stopthis. All of this,” I say, holding on to my annoyance while being glad there is something to be mad about. Maybe if I hold on to this long enough, I’ll remember what an asshole he is.
But then, he turns around and holds my gaze with his. “I have a request.”
I raise my brows. “Well, then,” I say, “I’ll be pleased not to grant it.”
He ignores my comment and instead says, “I need you to suspend disbelief for tonight. I understand that you have many opinions about me and that you don't like me. But, just for tonight, I need you to put aside all your past opinions and stay with me.”
His words sound logical. Toological.
And with each passing moment, it’s getting harder to remember my promises to myself.
“Think about it,” he says before he fixes his seatbelt and turns on the ignition. I sit silently in the passenger seat as he drives.
He does have a point, I admit. I’d have a better chance of enjoying myself if I didn’t let my thoughts become clouded by how I feel about him. I still want to get as much information from him as possible, but nothing is stopping me from having fun with him while doing it. I’d done that at the wedding, and I’d been able to rein myself in at the last moment.
What is the likelihood that he is manipulating me, making this all a game? Could there be other motives behind his desire for a date with me, and is he planning to use it to deter me from pursuing him further?
I steal a glance at him. Nothing in his appearance or actions suggests he's playing with me. My articles haven't even seemed to anger him, unlike what I had expected. He even sent me a note with the flowers to express his gratitude for my help. The only annoying thing he did was try to purchaseEnchanté, but even my boss recognized it as a false proposition.
Maybe—just maybe—I could lay off him a little. AfterI make sure he is not planning something.
“We're here.” He breaks the silence, and I look up. I'm surprised to see that we're now parked in front of Carmine's, my favorite Italian restaurant.
“I had no idea what you would like,” he tells me as he frees himself of his seatbelt. “So, I got help from your friend.”
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. “Andrea told you what I like?”
He gives me a half-smile but doesn't say anything. Then he leans closer to me, and goosebumps rise on my arms. My thoughts evaporate as he moves in. Surprisingly, I'm not apprehensive about what he's about to do. In fact, I don't even want him to stop coming closer.
I want him to kiss me.
But he only frees me of my seatbelt and straightens up. “Are you ready?” he asks.
Nodding, I bite back the confusing leap of disappointment in my belly. “Yeah,” I say, pushing the door open.
He leads me toward the restaurant. I follow him, wondering what the hell just happened. One moment, I was reminding myself not to give him the benefit of the doubt. And the next, I wanted him to kiss me.
I’m starting to understand the appeal of the Stawarski brothers. Of BrandonStawarski, in particular. Because no matter how much I want to deny it, I’m as good as powerless when he’s within breathing distance of me.
We are ushered in by a waiter, who leads us to a table in the far corner of the room. As I sit at the table, I notice another red rose in the center.
