Page 13 of Daring to Love

A small smile dances on her lips, and I breathe a low sigh in relief.

“Arrogant, actually.”

Her answer dims the mood at once, and I scowl. I didn’t expect that from her.

“Definitely not the answer I was aiming for.”

“Probably not, but that’s what it looks like from my end, Finlay.” She glances over her shoulder and points up. “We’re here.”

I open my mouth but shut it immediately. Perhaps she’ll be more willing to talk with me if I feed her first. I look at the sign hanging above the entrance as I follow her, noticing it looks like a regular Scottish pub, and once we’re inside, I nod to myself – I was right.

The ambitious dancer prefers homecooked meals. Again, not what I expected, but I have to say it’s a pleasant surprise.

“Hello, love.” A bartender in his late fifties beams at Amelie when we stop in front of the bar.

“Good evening, Gavin.”

Finally, the guard she keeps so high falls because she smiles warmly at him.

Fuck, she’s even more lovely when she smiles. Her front teeth are straight, but there’s a slight overbite to them, as if she should’ve worn braces when she was younger, but it only enhances her natural beauty. It draws you in, makes you really notice her smile, and I can’t help but wonder when I’ll get to see it again. I have to suppress the sudden urge I have to rub a hand on my chest, above my heart, because all at once it feels like I’ve been on the receiving end of a sharp jab right there.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Are ye here to let my Maggie feed you?” The man – Gavin – winks at Amelie, completely ignoring me.

“You know I can’t resist her cooking for me every time I finish dancing. Do you have a table for two available?”

I look around us, taking in the handful of people around us.

“Sit wherever you want, love, and I’ll go tell Maggie you’re here.” Gavin’s smile dims when he glances at me, and his eyes narrow in suspicion.

“Thank you.”

Again, I follow Amelie as she leads me to a table close to the bar, right in front of the windows, but she stops midway and reaches behind her to remove her bag.

“Let me, please,” I offer as I take it from her and go back to the bar. “Mind looking after this for us while we have dinner?”

I extend it to him, not missing the light of appreciation in his eyes, as he takes the monstrosity out of my hands.

“No problem, lad.”

“Thanks.”

In a few strides, I’m back with Amelie. Her eyes are wide, shocked, as if she didn’t expect me to take care of it. This girl doesn’t know to ask for help.

When I reach her side, I pull out a chair, waiting patiently for her to sit down. I might not be a real gentleman, but even I grew up getting basic manners drilled into my head, and the number one rule when you’re out with a girl is a simple gesture as this.

The second rule is not to drool.

Third rule: don’t be an arse and occupy ninety percent of the conversation.

While this isn’t a date, I can still act like my mum taught me, so that’s what I’ll do.

There’s a sudden shyness to her demeanour when she thanks me and takes off her coat. I grab it from her and push her chair a little as she sits down. I put the jacket over the back of the chair, before I sit down next to her. I shuffle my bag in-between my legs and sit back, watching her closely. Whereas she wasn’t nervous or held herself back out on the street, she now appears anxious. She fidgets in her seat, looking everywhere but at me as she twists her small, silver cuff on her wrist around and around.

I don’t like that she’s uncomfortable, but I also have a job to do, and I can’t avoid approaching the big elephant in the room any longer.

I have a feeling this girl is full of contradictions, and I can’t wait to peel back all the layers of them to reveal the real woman. Why does she hide from the world? Where did she come from?

And, most importantly, why does her family want to tell the world about her now when they’ve been hiding her for most of her life?

So many questions…

I let out a small sigh, reminding myself to tread careful. “

So, Amelie Winters…what’s your favourite food?”