“I’m actually surprised you came to me instead of one of the other neighbors.”
“Well, they are on the older side.I’d have worried they’d slip on the water and break a hip,” Andrea admitted with a grimace.
“But you didn’t worry about my health, ouch,” Jack mumbled as he went back to work.
“You’re most robust than they are.”
“Thanks?”
“That was a compliment.”
“If you say so.”Jack finished tightening the bolt and stood up.Andrea had swapped out towels for her mop, pushing water toward the towels.“I’m actually surprised to see you again after our dinner since I haven’t seen you in three days.”
Andrea paused in mid action and looked up at him.Her gaze was unreadable.Had he pushed her by asking about it?Was he giving his own feelings away by asking?He shouldn’t have said anything.Just accept her speaking to him again as it was and not press for details, but he wanted to know if she was only talking to him now because of the leak or because she had wanted to see him.
“I’ve been busy with work.”
“Funny, I’ve gone to your work, and I never saw you there.”
“No, I was there; I was just avoiding you.”
Ouch.“Was my company that repugnant you had to go through such drastic measures?”
Andrea let out a loud sigh.“No, but we had a deal.If I agreed to go to dinner with you, you’d leave me alone.”
He hadn’t make any such deal.“No, I didn’t.”
“Alright, so I was hopeful.”She looked at him sheepishly.
Again ouch.Never had he met a woman so repelled by his presence.There was not interested, hard to get, and then there was Andrea.“Would it be so bad to hang out and be friends?”
“I have rules.”
Jack took a step closer to her.“Rules are meant to be broken.”
“Not mine,” she said firmly.
“And what is this rule, don’t live your life?”Andrea didn’t say anything just glared at him.“Take a chance in life, Andrea.What do you have to lose?”She glanced away, looking thoughtful.He could work with that.That meant she was somewhat flexible.He just had to push her a little more.“You enjoyed yourself that night, didn’t you?”he supplied, hoping she would agree.
“I did,” she commented quickly.
“I respected your rules.I never pressed myself on you.”
“It’s true.”
“I didn’t even try to steal a kiss.”He had seen a little disappointment in her eyes that night.
“No, you were the perfect gentleman.Even came to my defense.”
“See, you admitted it yourself.Give me a chance.”
Andrea looked at him pleadingly as if willing him to understand why she didn’t want to when he couldn’t.“It’s not that easy for me.”
“What?Hanging out with people?I thought we got along pretty well.”
“Trusting someone in my life.”
“You trust Maya, don’t you?”
