Page 62 of David

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I say.

“Define this?”

“Trying to figure me out.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Everything. You went out of your way for me. More than for anyone else, I suspect.”

“You flatter yourself.”

“I’m right.”

He flashes a smile. I clearly am the itch he cannot scratch.

“That’s me going out of my way?” he says, cocking an eyebrow.

“When was the last time you ran after a woman?”

“Never. And I didn’t run after you. I wanted you to enjoy dinner and have some company. That’s why I invited you and your friend upstairs.”

A moment passes.

“I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but I went upstairs nonetheless. It was not a good idea after all.”

“Why?”

His eyes glint with a smile, and I think it’s time to come clean.

I pull closer to him and bring my finger to the lapel of his suit jacket.

“Because it wasn’t… Besides, I know you, David Moore. The barista at the coffee shop told me who you were. It was rude that you wanted to buy me cookies and didn’t even ask my name. You thought I was some random girl at the coffee shop. But we are more than two strangers. We belong to the same circle of people, and sooner or later, we’ll run into each other again. And then, you’ll know why it’s not a good idea to befriend each other.”

“You’re interested in me,” he says, ignoring what I just said.

“And so are you. That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Care to explain?” he says, an ounce of coldness threading through his voice.

“Listen, you have better things to do. Go back to your woman. I’ll wait here for my cab.”

“You don’t need a cab. I’ll have my driver take you home.”

“No. We won’t do that. One day, you’ll know why.”

“What about having a drink before you leave?”

My eyebrows go up.

He is relentless––I’ll give him that.

Something flickers in his eyes.It’s like my resistance only increases his determination.

“We’ll have dinner and drinks. Only the two of us. And then, I’ll arrange for you to get home,” he says.

“I’ve had enough to drink for one night. And I ate earlier.”

His stern look beams with impatience.

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