Page 29 of A Christmas Bargain

“It’s making me nervous that they sell a love potion in their drinks here.”

He sighed heavily, setting his elbow on the table, and slumped until his chin rested in his hand.

“Sorry if I’m posing a threat.” I shrugged as I sipped my drink. “I didn’t realize that our talking here would look like a… date.”

Brightening into a wry smile, he chuckled and sat up straighter. “What would be so bad about that?”

I choked on my sip of hot coffee, perfectly spiced with pumpkin and nutmeg. “What?”

“What if you were here on a date with me?”

Working my mouth open and closed, I stumbled on a reply.

“Would it be so bad?”

I smirked. “To be on a date? With someone like you?”

“Not someone like me. Withme.”

I narrowed my eyes, slightly confused but amused. “Are you fishing for compliments or something like that?”

“No.” He smiled, waiting for my reply.

“I… Um…” My cheeks were going to hurt from all this grinning. “I think this conversation is going off on a tangent I haven’t considered.”

That was the truth. I was surprised to see him show up for this meeting, but this veering off into talking about dating was a bigger, more confusing turn than I felt like I could keep up with.

It would be very nice to date someone calm and not pervy like him. And it would be exciting to have the freedom to daydream about how good it would be to be with a man who looked like he could manage a woman’s pleasure…

But wouldn’t that blur the lines?

Wouldn’t it be too awkward with my wanting his land?

10

DEREK

Iwondered if she knew that she was blushing. A faint rose spread up her cheeks and it highlighted the freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. Those small marks were so gorgeous on her, but they also reminded me that she was younger.

Why am I entertaining this? She’s too young to want to be saddled on a date with someone pushing forty.

“Derek?”

“Hmm?” I snapped my gaze back up to meet hers.

“Do I have something on my face?” she asked, dabbing at it with a napkin.

“No.” I cleared my throat. She’d caught me checking her out but was polite enough not to call me out for it. “I was wondering something, though.”

“About us rescheduling this so you don’t look taken?” She laughed, sipping her coffee.

That’s the brilliant idea I want to askyouabout.

It seemed like such an easy solution—to let Claire scare off any other women. To look like I was taken. To spare me these women approaching me whenever they wanted.

I wasn’t full of myself. I wasn’t cocky and stuck in this fantasy that I was God’s gift to womankind. I had my flaws. I knew whoI was. But the circumstances were stacked against me. I was a widower, and women saw that as a mission. I was wealthy, and many people wanted to exploit a connection to get a piece of it. I was also broadcast as an eligible man who shouldn’t be single, all thanks to my sister egging on countless friends and acquaintances in her matchmaking attempts.

The idea of not having to deal with women preying on me was too good to pass up on.

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