“Why not?”
“You don’t want to date me. Believe me.”
“Why?”
“If you knew the kind of complications I come with, you’d keep away.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
I sighed loudly and shook my head; determined to stand my ground . . “No. It’s not going to happen.”
He looked deflated for a moment and then smiled again. “Does that mean we can’t be friends either?”
“I don’t know.”
“I promise I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”
“Really?” I gave him a deliberately suspicious look. “You weren’t very gentlemanly the other night.”
“Now who’s being inappropriate?” He paused and our eyes locked. It was the kind of eye lock that I felt like I never wanted to look away from.
“You don’t even have to eat the pancakes.” His eyes crinkled into a smile.
“Fine!” I let out a resigned sigh. Clearly he wasn’t going to give up. “Sure. Pancakes and coffee. Why not?” I followed the sentence with a shrug and followed him inside.
His place looked amazing, not something I would have pictured. It didn’t have that cool bachelor pad thing going on; in fact it looked rather homey.
“I like what you’ve done with the place.”
“Thanks. I still have a few boxes to unpack, but getting there.” He rushed into the lounge and turned the big gas heater on.
“Oh yes!” I rushed over to the heater, I was still freezing. I stood as close as I could to the thing without catching fire. Ben did the same and we both stood together huddling by the fire.
“I’m glad you don’t go jogging in winter,” he said. “I would never consider going out with anyone who was clearly mad.”
“You knew I didn’t jog?” I asked, knowing the answer to this already.
“From the second JJ and Bruce told me, besides, I could see your little foot sticking out from behind the wall.”
I smiled up at him, he was less than a foot away from me. “So you just decided it would be fun to what . . . come around, wake me and see how long it took for me to crack?”
Ben’s eyes lit up and he leaned towards me. “No, I just thought it would be a good excuse to get you over for breakfast.”
My heart jumped into my throat.This was so not friendly.“Really, so this whole thing was premeditated?”
“Right down to the ingredients being ready and waiting for us.” He walked off towards the kitchen and I couldn’t help it, but I was flattered. More than flattered.
“You really cook?” I asked trying to wipe the smile from my voice.
“Only desserts.”
“Interesting,” I said watching him expertly crack the eggs with one hand.
“If you got to know me you would find I’m an interesting person.”
“And arrogant.”
“Some people find it charming.”
