Page 29 (1/1)

Eden was quickly dissuading hiiven any credence to those thoughts

He cut off two large slices of the steak and laid them on Eden’s plate next to the bowl that contained her salad Her eyes widened but heras she stared down at theroan "But et you up early and go down to the fitness center with you so you can work off those two bites before your shoot"

She smiled warmly at him, and his chest did that weird seize that seeer he was around her "I’d like that," she said, her eyes glowing softly "Micah and David usually worked out withtaskmasters! But I have to adht me self-defenseon his face at the mention of the other twoHim and only him, for thataway the jealousy that threatened to choke him "I can alith you e have the time"

Her eyes twinkledto think you actually want to spend time with me"

"I think we’ve established the fact that I like spending tietting in way overto be honest, I think I’m already there"

Pleasure spread over her pretty features, her cheeks dusty pink "I’lad I’m not the only one then," she said huskily "I’m not some vamp on the make here, Swanny I need you to know that If you weren’tspecialthen I wouldn’t be in this rooths to put myself out there the way I did and risk rejection It wasn’t easy I don’t want to make a fool of myself"

Swanny’s heart softened as he saw the honesty and sincerity shining in her eyes The idea that he had the power to hurt this wo to have to pull his head out of his ass and do everything in his power to assure her that her attraction was not one-sided and that he had no intention of rejecting her or rejecting anything she offered hi his remorse to bleed over into his words "And I’m sorry for that, Eden You have to understand, this is new to me And just as you said it wasn’t easy for you, it’s definitely not easy for me either The idea that a woman like you has any interest in me" He broke off and shook his head, still bewildered by it all

She slid over on the couch so her left knee touched his right knee where he sat in the aronal to the sofa, their dinner spread out on the coffee table She slid her hand up his leg, gently giving him a squeeze

It wasn’t a sexual move and yet his entire body went on alert the h his jeans He felt every part of her touch It burned a trail up his leg, ending where her hand came to rest and where she left it as she looked up at him

"Any woman who doesn’t see you as I do is a fool," she said in a deters I don’t mean, Swanny Not even to make someone feel better I think you’re beautiful and I’ out stuff like that to men I don’t know Or men I do know, for that matter," she amended "So this is definitely new territory for me, and it’s a little scary because you could so easily hurt ation to giveyou don’t want I just need you to understand that toabout you Yet But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to learn I’d like to think I at least have a chance with you"

This was a dream An elaborate fantasy that he’d wake up fro it was his turn to lay it out That it had taken a lot of courage for her to be so forthright He owed that back to her But his tongue felt heavy and he couldn’t for in on itself

Her eyes flickered, that same brief hurt he’d witnessed before, and she started to withdraw, pulling her hand away Goddaet with the prograhtly in hiscontrast, her tiny bone structure coer frame She had a delicateness to her that fired his protective instincts Like if he didn’t handle her with infinite care, he could break her--hurt her--and he’d die before ever causing her aby his boneheadedness He was hurting her Just not physically A woave up, and daet his shit together andlike a moron who’d never been with a woman

"I don’t pretend to understand what you could possibly see in me," he said hoarsely "I can’t even wrapto offer you"