Page 50 of The Blind Date

“No,” he answered in a small voice, pausing to take another sip of his beer. “I think that’s perfectly normal.”

Much to my surprise, I found myself enjoying Cedric's company as we finished the last of the pizza. I felt unrestricted and comfortable as we spoke about everything and anything. Like we were old friends. We both laughed over our parent's wild antics and in no time, the clock struck eleven–time for Cedric to leave as we both had work in the morning.

I hated to admit it, but Cedric Barlowe wasn’t nearly as bad as I tried to convince myself he was.

“Sorry, what did you say?” I blinked in question, having missed what he had just said.

"I'll wash, and you can dry. Does that work for you?" Cedric chuckled, no doubt laughing at the dazed expression on my face.

“Yes, that works,” I murmured and followed him into the kitchen where he navigated his way through it like he had been here a thousand times before.

I don't know what changed between us, but it seemed like ever since yesterday when he dropped by my apartment around midnight to save me from the treacherous cold water that my boiler was determined to torture me with, a switch had flipped. Sure, Cedric was still annoying and got under my skin more than anyone had ever done before, but he wasn't nearly as intolerable as I first thought he was.

What had changed between Sunday and now? Why did I no longer hate him as much?

"Are you okay?" Cedric asked as he turned off the tap and dried his hands on a dishtowel.

“I’m fine, why?” I asked, taking the dishtowel from him to dry my own hands.

"You look like you're thinking really hard about something.” He leaned back against the counter and watched me with his dark, alluring eyes. “Hard day at work?”

“No, work was easy today,” I denied. “I left bang on five.”

“Then what’s changed?” He asked the million-dollar question, unaware that I was asking myself this same question.

What had changed? Why did I feel so confused about Cedric? Where did all the hate I held for him go?

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I doubt you’ve noticed it, but I feel like something has changed between us since Sunday. I–" I opened my mouth to continue, but I suddenly couldn’t get the words out.

“You’re wrong.”

“What?” My eyes rose to meet his, and I struggled to hold back the fear.

Had I just majorly embarrassed myself by speaking my confusing feelings out loud?

Was this the part where he laughed at me?

"I have noticed it," Cedric murmured, pushing himself up from the counter and moving closer toward me, only stopping when his chest was flush against mine. "You're not the only one to think that things have significantly changed between us."

“I still think you’re the same massive douche that ran into me and then asked me to apologise for it, but strangely, you’re not as intolerable as before.”

"Is that your way of saying I'm growing on you?" Cedric asked in a low, sultry tone, staring at me from under dark, long lashes, making him look even more irresistible than I already thought him to be. Suddenly, I felt thirsty, but I couldn't bring myself to move away to fetch a glass of water. Hell, I couldn't even bring myself to look away from him, finding his gaze almost entrapping.

“No,” I denied and rolled my eyes even though deep down, I meant yes.

“I think you’re lying,” he chuckled, circling his fingers around my arm and slowly, slipping his hand down my skin, leaving goosebumps in his wake until his fingers entwined with mine. “Now, tell me, why are you suppressing your feelings for me, darling?”

I could very easily say no, thank him for his help with my boiler and call it a night. I wouldn't have to deal with all these conflicting emotions then, and it would be easier to go back to convincing myself that I hated Cedric Barlowe, but with him standing in front of me right now, looking down at me like I was the most precious woman in the world, my brain could hardly function.

Pushing him away would be the easy thing to do. It would be thesafething to do.

It would simplify my life if I didn’t have to see him again, but my heart clenched painfully before I could even finish the thought.

Unable to deny my feelings any longer, I closed the distance between us.

Unlike last time, I planted a kiss on the centre of his mouth.

Also unlike last time, he responded immediately, curling his arms around me and angling his head to deepen the kiss.

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