“Yeah. I figured it was time to reboot communication.” Andrew was surprised at this turn of events. He didn’t expect Paige to reach out to her publicist so soon. She was stubborn that way. But he was glad she did. “How did that go?” he asked.
“It went well. Skye is good people. I’d count her among my small group of friends. We didn’t really talk about work, but I did give her a heads-up about us.”
That’s unexpected. Especially since they hadn’t really established they were an “us.” “Oh, okay.”
“I know it seems weird, since we’re not really together. Officially.” Paige moved her fork around her plate. “But she’s my publicist, so I figured . . .”
Andrew stared at her and waited for her to finish. But when she didn’t say anything else, he asked, “Do you regret talking to her?”
She shrugged. “No. I kind of needed the ear.”
“Paige, look at me.” After a moment, she glanced at him. “What did you need the ear for?”
“To talk. I don’t have many friends and I felt like I needed to get some things out.”
Curious, he asked, “About what?”
“How I feel about you?”
The revelation that she’d voiced her feelings about him to someoneotherthan him made him happy. “How is that exactly?”
“Are you really asking me that after . . . ?”
“Actually, I am.” He leaned back in his chair and observed her. Andrew couldn’t help but notice the way she avoided eye contact, staring at an unknown spot behind him or at her plate or anywhere but him. “You’re nervous.”
She met his gaze then and bit down on her bottom lip. Nodding, she sighed. “It’s not like this isn’t weird. We’ve known each other for a long time and now we’re . . .”
“Getting to know each other differently,” he said.
“Right. There are a lot of things to consider. It felt good to talk about some of it with Skye.”
“I get it,” he told her. “I’m not mad or anything. But don’t you thinkweshould talk about it?” Paige slumped forward, as if he’d pulled the pin out of her sail. And he laughed. Pulling her onto his lap, he kissed her. “I promise I won’t bite.”
Paige wrapped her arms around his neck. “Really? I kind of like the bites.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’ll bite later,” he joked.
She giggled. “I’m worried we might be moving too fast.”
“Me too,” he admitted.
“But I can’t stop myself from wanting to be with you.”
Paige continued talking, but he’d gotten stuck at that sentence. Of course, she had no idea how long he’d waited to hear her say that. Hell,hedidn’t even know until she’d said it.
“You know?” she asked.
He blinked. “Huh?”
She sat up, peered into his eyes. “Did you hear me?”
Andrew thought about lying, but he promised he wouldn’t lie again. So, he told the truth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you after you told me you couldn’t stop yourself from wanting me.”
Paige frowned. “You don’t think I want you?”
Shaking his head, he rushed to assure her. “No. It’s not that. I just never thought I’d hear you say it.”
“Is that . . . ?” She dropped her gaze, ran her finger over the top button of his shirt. “Are you okay with that?”
