Page 20 of Love In The Air

His sandwich packed quite the spicy punch. He could only imagine how much hotter hers was.

“I’m fine,” the words squeaked out of her throat.

“Spicy food has been known to cause damage to the body. You can burn your esophagus, get an ulcer. I think you should ask the server for some milk to cut back on the heat.”

“Oh, you think so, do you?” With a defiant glare, she lifted the sandwich and took another ill-advised massive bite.

“Mmmmm,” she mumbled around the food filling her cheeks.

Though it sounded more like a moan of pain than pleasure to him.

“So…good,” she panted out after she swallowed the bite. Grabbing her water and downing half the glass. “Really… really…good. But I forgot I had such a big breakfast. I think I’ll just eat my fries and take the sandwich home for later.”

He smothered his laughter by taking another bite of his own lunch. Of course she’d do the exact opposite of what he said. Classic Iz.

They finished their meal, sticking to conversations about the show and how excited they were to travel. Thankfully, she let his refusal to talk about his family go. After they paid, they left the restaurant, walking back toward the yoga studio.

“I should get back to work,” Iz said as they arrived at the front door.

“Yeah, I have another class to teach in half an hour. Thanks for joining me for lunch. Hope you didn’t burn all your taste buds off.”

“Stuff it, Chance,” she grumbled, but there was little heat to it.

He laughed. “Okay, you enjoy that sandwich later. Maybe keep a gallon of milk near you just in case.”

“You are so annoying.” She rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove.

He had no idea what possessed him to do it, but he grabbed her arm, tugging her into him. “Only because you’re so fun to annoy.”

She sucked in a sharp breath as one hand landed on his chest. He could feel the warmth of her palm against the pounding of his heart. Could she feel how fast it was beating? Did she know why? Hell, he didn’t even know why!

A quick glance into her eyes and he called himself a liar.

He knew exactly why.

Heat flared in those dark brown depths. The same heat he knew was in his own. The same heat he felt low in his gut every time this woman was near him.

Fuck!

He was attracted to Izadora Grant.

8

Iz popped a caffeine mint into her mouth as she entered the aerial studio. The candy was an easy way to get a wake-up jolt and much more practical since she was about to head into rehearsal. Spinning in the air with a belly full of coffee was a sure way to repaint the studio floor with her dinner.

She’d slept like crap last night. All thanks to a certain man with a smart-ass grin, tempting rock-hard body, and the ability to annoy the ever-living hell out of her. Going to lunch yesterday with Chance had been a huge mistake. First because she had to spend time with him. She was getting used to being around him. Which was good, she supposed, since they had to work together, but she had to wonder if getting too close to Chance was a good idea?

Being friendly was one thing, but when she asked about his family... She’d only been trying to be polite. He asked her first, it was only natural for her to ask him. She had no idea it would cause him to close off like that. Honestly, she wasn’t even sure what happened, but she recognized pain and it been coming off Chance in waves when she mentioned his brother. Her heart ached at the haunted look she’d spotted in his eyes. A desperate need to ask, to comfort, had risen in her, but Chance made it abundantly clear he didn’t want to talk about whatever had turned his mood, so she’d let it drop.

Still, she wondered what dark pain could have caused such a shift in the normally bright and sunny man. It wasn’t like Chance at all and it…worried her. She never imagined she’d be worrying about Chance O’Brien, but the more time they spent together the more he wormed his way into her thoughts.

But the thing that really had her tossing and turning all night long was the moment where he pulled her into him. The moment she couldn’t stop playing over and over again in her mind. His teasing grin, the warmth of his body, the rapid beat of his heart when she placed her hand on his chest, and the heat that flared in his eyes.

Iz wasn’t as socially ignorant as everyone thought her to be. Yes, she was a little blunt, some people might say rude. She couldn’t flirt to save her life and most of her past relationships had crashed and burned. Still, she knew when someone was attracted to her and the hungry look on Chance’s face yesterday hadn’t been directed at her leftovers.

Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem. Hell, a few years ago she’d even get a kick out of her nemesis having the hots for her. But there was one major, horrifying problem…

She had the hots for him too.

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