Page 10 of The Forces of Love

With a pained sigh, she spun around to face Mitch, catching the way he flinched at her sudden movement. Oops. He probably expected her to tell him to shut up. Maybe she should start going a little easier on him.

“Okay. I’ve got to ask. Every single story you’ve told me ends with one of you maimed, poisoned, or covered in hives. Why do you keep going?”

And,oh.She should have kept her mouth shut. Because Mitch broke out in a grin more joyous than a lit-up Christmas tree. It brightened his eyes and put those damn cheekbones on display, making one fact obvious and irrefutable.

Mitch was gorgeous.

Shit.

“You’ve never done something just for the fun of it?”

“None of that sounds like fun.”

“Then you’re doing it wrong. You’ll have to join us next time. I’ll show you the full experience.”

She could think of a few more things he could show her.

In a moment of weakness, Sophie caved and admired the stretch of Mitch’s pants along his lean thighs. Yesterday, she’d suffered in silence while he lifted some of their heaviest boxes and deposited them on the top shelf— the one she couldn’t reach without a ladder. Mitch had simply picked a carton up and slid it into place. For a lean guy, he was deceptively strong.

“Hard pass, but thanks.”

“Not a fan of the outdoors?”

“I prefer trips that involve a little more relaxing and far fewer health insurance claims.”

“You’re missing out.”

“I’m sure I am,” she mumbled, spinning back to her laptop before Mitch got any ideas.

“Whatdoyou do to relax?”

Ideas like that.

Maybe she could pretend she hadn’t heard him.

“Oh, come on. Back to ignoring me so soon? I really thought we had something for a second.”

Sophie stifled her smile. The last thing Mitch needed was encouragement. Pretending he was unattractive and disinteresting was already draining her energy. If he found out she thought he was funny, she’d never get any peace.

Hmm. New rule.

Under no circumstance must he know she actually liked him.

The sound of shuffling papers behind her signaled that he’d moved on, so Sophie redirected her attention to her emails. Steve had followed up hisurgent priority querywith another. This time noting it was time sensitive and conveniently ignoring Sophie’s previous response that he hadn’t provided enough detail for them to even action the request. Thus, giving her the opportunity to type her most favorite words.

“As per my previous email,”

So, so good.

When the paper plane landed beside her mug, her typing came to a halt.

Seriously? She threw a cursory glance over her shoulder at Mitch, and while he was click-clacking away at his keyboard, the soft smile he wore gave the game away.

Sophie picked up the plane and smoothed the crease, readying herself to throw it back at him. But she paused at the faint indentations on the white paper that hinted at a note inside. Oh god, how was it possible for this to get any cuter?

She opened it.

Mitch Langford requests the company of Sophie Anderson for dinner at his expense at any restaurant of her choosing on Friday evening. Please indicate your answer below.

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