Elijah’s gaze sharpened. “Hold up. You two broke up?”
“We did.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” He sounded as if her giving him an update on her dating life was an expectation of their friendship she’d failed to live up to.
“I didn’t realize I needed to update you on my dating life.”
“I’m not saying youneedto, but it would have been nice to know this.”
“Why?”
“Because, I’ve been waiting for you two to break up.”
She held up a hand. “Hold up. Excuse me? Why were you so sure we’d break up?”
His stance widened as he put his hands on his hips. Damn the man was sexy when he looked demanding. “Since we’re speaking of joy and happiness, I could tell he wasn’t giving you any of that. You damn near looked annoyed anytime he was around.”
Those facts were true. Aaron was the first guy she’d dated after her divorce. She hadn’t introduced him to Jasmine, but when Elijah had run into the two of them at a coffee shop one morning, she hadn’t hid it from him when she needed him to watch Jasmine because she was going out with Aaron. As time went on, Aaron’s patronizing attitude had gotten on her last nerves. He’d acted as if she were lucky that he’d blessed her to be in a relationship with him. A man who was gainfully employed, never been married, and with no kids. He’d proven two things to Layla. One was that the bar was in hell when it came to the dating pool. And that if Aaron treated every woman he’d dated the way he treated her, then the reason he’d never been married wasn’t surprising.
“Why were you paying attention to us anyway?” She asked instead of admitting that he was right.
“Because I....” He took a step closer and his voice trailed off.
Layla held her breath. He what? He was interested in her? He was waiting for the day that she would be free and finally admit that the quick glances she caught him throwing her way proved he was as attracted to her as she was to him? Okay, maybe she was letting her fantasies run wild, but let’s be for real.A man didn’t pay that much attention to a woman’s relationship unless he was interested.
“Because why, Elijah?” She let her voice dip into a soft whisper. Her eyes met his and for the first time she didn’t bother to hide her interest.
He swallowed and something hot flashed in his eyes. He blinked slowly and then eased to the side putting more space between them. “Because we’re friends, and as a friend I didn’t like seeing you with a guy like that.”
Layla looked at him for several seconds before letting out a dry laugh. “Really? Okay, Elijah.”
“Why do you say it like that?” he asked.
“Like what?”
“Like you don’t believe me?”
She didn’t, but she wasn’t about to go back and forth with him about if he was or wasn’t attracted to her. “I believe you. I just find it funny that you didn’t say anything before.”
“It wasn’t my place. We’re friends. I don’t want to mess that up, Layla. For the sake of the girls and the friendship we’ve managed to develop. You understand?” His gaze bore into hers with more meaning than just the words.
Elijah was attracted to her. She’d felt it in his gaze. Caught it in the looks he threw her way. Sensed it in the way the air seemed to sizzle when they were near. But despite that he wouldn’t make a move. He was a guy who lived on principles. He wouldn’t risk a relationship with her if it meant that relationship might have negative consequences for his daughter. She respected that. Even if she didn’t like it.
“Well,friend,if I’m ever dating a guy and you see red flags please speak up. But I highly doubt that the right guy for me will show up anytime soon.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m right here.”
Layla pressed her hand to her stomach. The movement did nothing to stop the butterflies fluttering there. “Are you offering?”
“I would, if circumstances were different.”
“What circumstances?”
“I’ll be real, I’ve thought about how we get along well, our kids are friends, and the way we’ve figured out a way to basically co-parent. It would be easy to slip into a relationship with you, but with no certainty that we’d stay together the risk of what a breakup would do to our girls outweighs the benefits. So it’s best that we keep things as they are.”
