This is another surprising thing about getting to know Miles like this. He’s… playful. He’s not stuffy at all. I was so wrong about him.
“You are, like,easilythe cutest person I’ve ever met,” I say.
He huffs and looks away. He’s clearly not used to compliments. I wish I could find that ex of his and tell her off for not showering Miles with praise.
“You’re blushing,” I add. “Now you’re even cuter.”
He looks at me. “Brown people don’t blush.”
“Sure we do. Our blood is red, isn’t it? Now be honest. How are you enjoyingPride and Prejudice?”
“I’m loving it. I’m almost at the end, but I’m going to read it again when I’m done.”
I laugh. “Miles Desai loves a romance novel.”
He nods. “I do! It’s so…witty. And I love the explorationof class differences and how they can impact our first impressions of people.”
I smile. I don’t think I’d realized it, but Miles and I kind of did what Darcy and Elizabeth did. I judged Miles before I really knew him. I assumed that because he was an outsider—because he was new to Love Street and because he came from a suburban mansion—he and I would never have the same perspective. And he clearly judged me, too. Based on my clothes and my personality, he thought I was naive and immature.
“Darcy and Elizabeth figured out that there’s a lot more to each other than what they originally saw,” I say.
Miles nods.
“When did you stop hating me, anyway?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Ineverhated you, Sana. I mean, I thought you were so pretty when I first saw you at LoveBug that I could barely speak to you.”
Amazing. I thought he was beingsorude that day. “But then I started irritating you as much as you were irritating me.”
“I thinkchallengingis a better word than irritating,” he says as he puts his hand on my waist.
I chuckle. “And I know you like to be challenged. Does the fact that you’re enjoying that book mean you want to read more romance?” I ask.
He nods. “Maybe. I definitely want to read more Austen. Maybe more classics like that. The Brontë sisters?”
My face scrunches as I shake my head. “There’s nojoyin the Brontës. It’s just depressed people crying on the moors. You should readjoyfulromances. Because that’s what romance is supposed to be.Fun.”
He laughs and squeezes my hand. “I have a feeling that I’m going to have a lot of fun with you.”
I turn to look at his face. “Is that what we’re doing? Romance… ing?”
His brows knit together. “Is that what you want?”
“What do you want, Miles?”
He turns his body so he can take my other hand in his. “Well, first I want to do this.” He kisses my lips again. “Then I want to ask if you’d let me take you out.”
“Like on a date?”
He nods. “I plan it this time.” At my surprised look, he continues. “I want to show youmyskills.”
“Yes, please. I want to see all your skills.” I take the back of his head and pull him in for another kiss.
We break apart after I find myself fully on his lap. Reggie probably knows what we’re up to, but we shouldn’t get too carried away in his store. I lean my head on Miles’s shoulder.
“We have a festival meeting tomorrow night. How about Sunday?” he asks.
“I’m working at Cosmic… but after five?”
