Page 55 of The Dating Contract

Samuel’s voice rangin Leah’s head for the entire night after the gala. From him waiting with her until Ramona and Shayna headed off, from him walking her to the rideshare car she’d order, then getting in with her.

“You don’t have to,” she said, even though she didn’t want to admit to herself that it felt nice to be like this with him.

“I…you know.”

“You’ll worry,” she said, smiling, cupping his cheek with fingers she knew weren’t sweating, even though her heart was pounding.

“I will,” he said before correcting himself. “I would.”

His chocolate brown eyes practically caressed her in ways that his fingers clearly weren’t going to in the back of the car. His hands settled in hers as she put her head on his shoulder.

He was comfortable.

Waaaay too comfortable.

Which meant sending him back to his apartment when they pulled up by hers was the right decision, putting him back in the rideshare with a “Now I’ll worry. Text me when you get there?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “Soon as I step over the threshold.”

Hours later, the look in his eyes haunted her and his voice played in her head like a song.

As did the text he’d sent her.

I’m okay. I had a great time tonight.

She tried to remind herself she wasn’t actually dating him, that it was a situation where she only needed to see his text and not respond to it.

But her fingers didn’t listen to anything, nor did her heart. All those parts of her paid attention to was the tangled web that was bringing her closer to Samuel, and the need to respond to his text.

Glad you got back okay. I’m tired, but I had a great time tonight too.

She wasn’t staring at her phone, wasn’t wondering whether he was responding.

Didn’t hope he was going to respond.

Talk to you soon. Goodnight.

The next thing she knew, she woke up with the phone in her hand, that text from him in front of her. And the blaring alarm from her calendar entry that said she’d promised Liv, Judith and Naomi that she’d meet them in Briarwood.

But all she could see was the look in Samuel’s eyes when he left in the rideshare.

“You’re here,” Naomi’s voice broke through her daydreams. “Earth to Leah. Earth to Leah.”

Leah blinked, looking around Briarwood’s main street. She and Naomi were heading toward Liv, who was supervising the opening of something Leah vaguely remembered was called Briarwood’s ‘Main Street Block Party.’ “I’m here,” Leah said. “Trust me I’m here.”

“Which is fascinating,” Naomi replied, “because up until a few minutes ago, I didn’t think you were mentally here, just a shell of a body.”

Weird, but so was the situation. “So what’s exactly going on again? Because Judith has a meeting…?”

“Judith always has meetings these days.” Naomi said, “Or do you not realize your sister is incapable of slowing down even though she wants you to settle down.”

“It’s saved me,” she said with a smile. “I don’t think we’ve been able to sit down and have conversation, a real one, since the expo.”

“Saved you?” Naomi asked.

“So what’s this whole thing actually?” Leah asked. “Because I clearly wasn’t paying attention when Liv explained it.”

Naomi snickered. “Riight. I’ll give you this one because you admit to not paying attention. It’s this whole revitalization project, where people can walk through the center of town without cars impeding their progress. So.”

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