“Marcus,” he whispered.
“Okay,” I breathed.
“Dinner tomorrow.”
“No.”
He ignored me.
“I’ll pick you up at seven.You won’t be on show.But youwill be safe from anything you perceive might make you unsafe, including me.Isimply want your company at dinner.That’s all, Daisy.”
“Please, stop doing this.”
His brows went up.“Why?”
“You have to ask?”
“Daisy,” he said gently, reaching to me, grabbing my handand pressing the card in my palm.Closing my fingers around it, he continued tohold me lightly and I didn’t pull away because I didn’t want to share what thatwould expose either.“You were harmed.You were hurt.But what happened to youdidn’t make you stop being who you are or make it so you shouldn’t live yourlife and enjoy doing it.”
“I’m not talking about that.”
“All right, so explain to me what you’re talking about.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
He nodded once.“Fine, so explain it to me over dinnertomorrow night.”
“Marcus—”
“I’m not going to give up.”
This was beginning to make me mad so I shared crankily,“Well, that doesn’t make me feel real peachy.”
His fine lips twitched and he asked, “Do you not find meattractive?”
Was hecrazy?
“Of course I find you attractive.You’re all—”
I cut myself off then because I wasn’t paying attention towhat I was saying, mostly the fact I shouldn’t be saying it.
Those fine lips of his curled up.
Oh Lord.
“I’m all what?”he pushed.
“Can you let me go?”I snapped.
To my shock, he let me go, and not only that, he took a stepback.
You will be safe from anything you perceive might makeyou unsafe, including me.
I started breathing funny.
“Would you like me to explain why I don’t wish to give up?”he asked.
Hell no.
