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“I’lad you approve So it’s a date?”

The startled look on Grayson’s face alerted Annabelle to her slip of the tongue She inwardly groaned If only it were possible to go back in time, she would In a heartbeat

CHAPTER TWELVE

A DATE?

Was she serious?

Grayson’s heart was lodged in his throat Sure they’d had so, well, prettythe part of her horse for the races But this was going further than he’d intended

Granted, he probably shouldn’t have given in to his urge to tickle her—to hear her laugh, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty And then he’dher Or was it that she’d kissed him? It was all a bit jumbled in his mind

He got up and backed away from Annabelle Some distance would help them both think clearly He hoped

Because there was no way he was dating her—or anyone He’d sworn off relationships after Abbi had died in that car crash He couldn’t h the pain of losing yet another person who he loved

“II’ idea,” he sta in his ears

“I didn’t” She glanced away and started straightening up the papers “It was just a slip of the tongue Honest”

He wanted to believe her, but he recalled the intensity of their kiss And it sure wasn’t just hi force that had kicked up the flames of desire

Perhaps it was tis out between the idea and end up getting hurt

“Annabelle, we need to talk”

“About the note?”