Page 46 of Truly, Madly, Deeply

Her cheeks warmed.

Like she said. They all had their weaknesses.

“It was an example. Don’t—” She cleared her throat to disguise the way her voice nearly broke. “Don’t read into it.”

Colin hmmed and leaned in, forearm resting on the back of the chair across from her. “Like I probably shouldn’t read into how you somehow knew I was named ECFDF’s Volunteer of the Year?”

“Exactly.” Wait. “No, that’s not—” Fuck. She huffed and damn it if Colin didn’t smile. Damn it if his smile didn’t whip the flock of butterflies inside her stomach into a frenzy. “Why can’t you just ignore my blunders like any other perfectly polite person?”

Colin cocked his head, a thoughtful if not feigned frown puckering his brow. “You know what? Maybe that’s my flaw. Maybe I’m not perfectly polite. Maybe I like giving you grief. Ever think about that?”

Only nonstop for the last three weeks. “Colin McCrory admitting to having a flaw? Alert the presses.”

He snorted. “Truly St. James giving me the Heisman? Must be a day ending in y.”

“Sorry,” she said, reaching for her drink. “I don’t speak sportsball.”

“Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean.”

She wrapped her lips around her straw and took a measured sip, heart racing. “I thought we agreed not to talk about that.”

“Once again, I’ll remind you I never agreed to anything of the sort.”

The man was a menace.

“Well?” She looked pointedly between Colin and the chair he was gripping. “Are you planning on standing there all day and giving me grief, or are you going to sit?”

The cutest wrinkle formed along the bridge of Colin’s nose. “That was without a doubt the world’s worst invitation I’ve ever heard. Award-worthy awful.”

“Bold of you to assume it was a request.” In a move she’d probably brag about later, Truly managed to hook her ankle around the chair and kick it out. Ta-da. “Sit.”

Colin hesitated before lowering himself into the seat across from her with a smile. “Don’t let me disturb you.”

“You aren’t. Disturbing me. I’ve been here an hour and I’ve written...” She peeked at her screen. “Three sentences. And they’re not very good sentences at that. So, if I’m disturbed, it’s not because of you.”

His lips folded in, the corners of his eyes crinkling like he was trying not to laugh.

If I’m disturbed—Jesus. She shut her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Since the moment she met him, it felt like her center of gravity was off-kilter just enough that she had to work a little harder to maintain her balance.

“If you’re disturbed, I’m free from any and all responsibility. Got it.” He lifted a hand to his chest. “It’s quite the relief. I was losing sleep wondering if the problem was me.”

“Ass,” she said, fond.

“Careful.” Colin grinned. “That time it almost sounded like a compliment.”

“Maybe you’re the one who’s disturbed if you think ass is a compliment.”

“Whether I was disturbed was never a question.” Colin gestured to her computer. “Three sentences, huh? New book?”

“Interview, actually. For my alma mater.”

“Alma mater?” His eyes narrowed. “Hm. Let me guess, UW?”

“Why, did you go to WSU or something?”

He made a face. “God, no. Stanford.”

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