“Cara,” she said, taking a step closer and dancing her fingers across my wrist. My breath caught and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from where her hand was.
Her other hand came up to grab my chin, tilting up so that my eyes met hers. Her hand stayed there, rubbing my jaw softly, causing heat to coarse through my entire body and pool collectively where it shouldn’t have been.
“Please stop apologizing. I’m not judging you, and you’re not being an asshole. No, we aren’t actually dating, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to treat you right. I’d like us to be friends, if nothing else. Just because I’m more attracted to you than you are to me, doesn’t change that. I’m not some clingy person that’s going to beg you to fall in love with me, but I’m also not going to give up so easily either.”
Friends. I think I could handle that. I appreciated the fact that she understood we wouldn’t be anything more than that, but what I wouldn’t tell her was that I didn’t want the flirting to stop just yet. I enjoyed the attention, to be honest.
She leaned in closer and I closed my eyes, fully expecting her lips to meet mine. Instead, her soft lips landed on my cheek that I was sure was warm from the blush I couldn’t get rid of.
She pulled back slowly and I opened my eyes to see her damn smile again. “Goodnight, princesa. Drive safe.” She turned to walk away before I could even get another word out.
Chapter Ten
VERA
Our dinner had gone better than I had expected it to. I’d half expected her to cancel, honestly, but I was really glad she didn’t. I was happy to see her and damn, she looked so good. But she always did.
I was still in shock that she actually agreed to let me be her date to the wedding. She wasn’t wrong in saying it was a crazy idea, but I wanted to help, and of course I had other motives. I wanted to get to know her more and be around her more, hoping she’d take a chance on me.
The next day on my lunch break, I decided to pass by her office. I told myself if she wasn’t there, I’d go eat my lunch.
It was my lucky day, because her door was wide open and she sat at her desk looking so damn professional and sexy. I bet her soft legs were crossed under the table and I wondered for a minute what it would be like to uncross them and—No! Don’t go there, V! Thinking those thoughts can only lead to lonely nights and sore wrists.
I shook those delicious thoughts away and knocked on her door. “Knock knock.” Cara looked up from her computer screen and smiled when she saw me. That was a good sign, right?
“Vera. What can I do for you?”
“You can do a lot of things for me, but today, I’m doing something for you.” I grinned when she rolled her eyes.
“I’m sure you can,” she muttered to herself. I wanted to comment, knowing she probably thought I couldn’t hear her, butI didn’t think she would’ve appreciated it. “Come in,” she said a little louder.
I smiled and took a few steps into her office placing the bag I had brought in on her desk. “Lunch,” I supplied when she just looked at it.
“I already ate lunch, but thank you.”
“Cara.” I waited until her gorgeous blue eyes met mine, and they softened slightly. God! I could’ve gotten lost in her eyes all day. “I haven’t seen you eat more than a salad for two weeks. You need real food. I can’t have you wither away to nothing before the wedding.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re funny. And, have you been watching me?”
I smirked. “Always,” I said with a wink.
“What is it?” she asked, eyeballing the bag. Her tone was skeptical, but the look in her eyes told me she was also intrigued.
“I know how you feel about Mexican women, but how do you feel about Mexican food? My abuela makes the best chile relleno, which is basically stuffed peppers. It’s got a little kick, but I think you can handle a little heat.”
Her blush had me mentally patting myself on the back. I loved flirting with her and seeing her reactions. “You’re breaking rule number one, and I’m adding another rule. No flirting outside of wedding obligations. I can’t get any work done with you around.”
“Are you saying my charm is working on you? Also, I veto that rule.”
“I’m not saying anything, and you don’t get a vote. But you didn’t have to bring me anything. It smells amazing, though.”
“I’ll tell her you said so. But please, I had plenty. Take it off my hands.”
I pushed the bag towards her and my heart warmed when she accepted the food. I had to bite my tongue when she took a biteand her eyes rolled in the back of her head. ¡Ay dios mió! This woman was going to kill me.
“Cara, I have some… bad news. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had company. Vera, right?”
I smiled and nodded politely. “Yes, Eloise. A pleasure to see you again. I was just going. I came to drop off some lunch for Cara.”
