Page 52 of The Dating Contract

“Mauling you in public at a gala like this isn’t right though.”

“Right,” he said.

She led him off the floor, doing her best to keep up appearances; she wore the professional mask, even though she once again held his hand, her fingers tangled in his. She looked like she’d been kissed; that was fine, but practically removing his clothes on the dance floor like she was going to would not have been fine in any way shape or form, no matter how many people knew they were together.

And yet at the very same time, she found herself upset that she couldn’t kiss him more. Kissing him would be dangerous.

This time, she’d almost lost her mind.

Hopefully the change of scenery, the jolt in her brain, would be enough to keep her from forgetting why dating him for real was a horrible idea.

Chapter Seventeen

Slightly out ofit, still lost in the haze that always had been the aftermath of kissing Leah, Samuel let her lead him to the bar. “You need a drink?” he asked as he ordered himself the first thing that came to mind.

She nodded, ordering some blue drink that the bartender had made the central theme.

“This feels…right,” he said.

“It feels like a mistake,” she replied.

Leah wasn’t someone who publicly made a deal about how she felt; she’d always lived behind walls and in order to be around her, she had to feel comfortable enough to let them down. That, or be comfortable with the consequences when she built them back up minutes if not mere seconds after she let them down.

And clearly it…the walls, the whatever…was his own fault. He’d been a ridiculous little shit, not used to actually dealing with his own problems in ways that were healthy.

“Sir?”

He shook his head, accepted the whiskey from the bartender and raised it toward where Leah stood.

“L’chaim,” she said as she clinked her glass with his.

“L’chaim.” To life. Traditional toast, a bond they shared. At least it was something.

“To taking chances,” she said.

“Chances?”

“Dating. Faking, contracts. Those chances.”

He nodded. Walls. Ever present.

“How about we head back to the table?” Leah said, holding out her hand.

He took it, and he could barely keep his head on straight as Leah wrapped her fingers around his. He hoped she was having as difficult a time as he was.

*

It felt likeher hand was burning as she took Samuel past the bar and away from the table, toward the balcony that was part of the gala set up.

The summer breeze was lovely, and honestly, more than a drink, she needed air. She needed to cool down, to calm down. Slow down the slamming of her heart and throw ice cubes on the fact she was sweating.

“This is nice,” he said.

And it was. Somehow, the owners of the building had managed to recreate an oasis in the middle of the city, allowing the patrons of the establishment to feel as if they were separated from time and existence. That’s what she needed to remember. “This is…safe,” she said.

“I take it we’re not?”

“You’re…going to make this impossible.”

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