Page 81 of Love in Fine Print

All of my life, I’d considered myself a fairly simple, uncomplicated guy. What you see is what you get. My word is my bond. I’d never lied. I never made promises I didn’t keep. I never said things I didn’t mean.

Most women appreciated those traits. Even if they didn’t like what I had to say, they were happy I was honest with them. Never before had I been questioned and scrutinized the way Ihad with Olivia. But I supposed that was probably what made her good at her job.

“What?” I asked as I brought the bottle of beer to my lips and tilted it back.

“I’m just trying to figure out what gets to you.”

You.You get to me.

“What do you mean?” I asked as the bartender served her the martini she’d ordered.

“You are always so even-keeled.” She sipped her drink, then set it down. “Nothing bothers you. Nothing upsets you.”

“What exactly should bother me?”

“You’ve been at my work party for over an hour without me.”

“You got held up.”

“That’s not the point.”

“What’s the point?”

“The point is I don’t know if this is who you really are or if it’s just…you know.”

I did know. She thought I was playing the role of a good husband, but if I were in a “real” relationship, then I would be different. The answer was, I didn’t actually know. If I had to guess, I would say nothing would change. But since I’d never had a relationship this serious before, I couldn’t actually say for certain.

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Either way, I’m sorry I was late.”

I held out my hand to her. “You can make it up to me.”

Her face flushed as she looked at my outstretched arm. She licked her lips as the tiny pulse began to flutter on her neck. It was the same way she’d licked them before telling me that we should consummate our marriage and the same neck flutter I’d seen at the altar before our kiss. If I had to guess, those were her tells that she was turned on.

Lifting my hand, I brushed the soft strands of hair behind her ear as I leaned down and whispered against the cusp, “I like where your mind is going, but I wasn’t actually suggesting that we go have sex in a coat closet. I’m just asking for a dance.”

When I straightened back up, I saw a flush on her cheeks as the corners of her mouth twitched in a smile.

Before she could respond Trevor appeared beside us and began speaking very fast. “Hey doll, good news, bad news. Good news, Martinez decided to go with you as council.” He mimed clapping his hands together while silently cheering. “Bad news, Loomis is four tequila doubles deep and just found out. He’s looking for you and he is fire-breathing dragon mad. I would steer clear if I were you. You know he does love a scene.” Trevor took a breath as he looked her up and down. “Side note: you arewearingthat dress.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Thanks.”

I was relieved to see I wasn’t the only person she couldn’t take a compliment from. “I tried to tell her. She looks amazing. Very Old Hollywood.”

“Right?!” Trevor enthusiastically agreed. “It’s giving Renée Z from Jerry-Maguire that’s-not-a-dress-it’s-an-Audrey-Hepburn-movie vibes!”

“His favorite film is Jerry Maguire,” Olivia explained as if that somehow took away from how stunning she was.

“It’s a good movie,” I told Trevor before turning my attention back to Olivia. “And an even better dress.”

Trevor grinned at me then something caught his eye over my shoulder. “Oh shit, Loomy-Toony is headed straight this way.”

I held out my hand again to her. “Shall we?”

This time, she took it immediately. I led her onto the dance floor, past the drunken asshole who was clearly looking to take out his insecurity on her. As I wrapped my arms around her, andher body melted into me, I felt my entire body come alive with awareness.

Her eyes lifted to mine, and I thought she was going to thank me for getting her away from the drunk buffoon, but instead, she stated, “You don’t believe in love.”

I just stared down at her. That was so far out of left field it took me a second to process the words.

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