Page 9 of Inked Craving

“I just wanted to be here. To see you. Don’t you want to see me?”

I held back an internal wince, wondering why I had said yes to a date with Leia. Oh, yes, because a friend had set us up. One of my college friends who lived down in Denver had thought of me when Leia asked if he had any single friends. One thing had led to another, and we had gone on two dates.

Two dates, and now she was in my home, unannounced, looking at me with a predator’s gaze.

And, honestly, there was no spark between us. I might have had more than a few bed partners in my life, but I needed that spark to want to do anything beyond a few friendly kisses.

I cleared my throat and put a slight smile on my face. “As I said, I have a few things to do, Leia. You’re a beautiful woman, sweet, and brilliant. But I’m focusing on work right now, and I just don’t think the timing is right.”

She stuck out her lip and pouted, and I held back a wince. “Really? Those are the lines you are going to use? It’s not you. It’s me?”

“It’s not,” I lied, wondering what the hell I was supposed to say to get her to leave without sounding like a jerk.

“I just wanted to see you, Lee. I thought we could have a good thing. But are you with that other woman?” she asked.

Annoyance sizzled through me, but I pushed it away. This was my problem, and I had to deal with it. “She’s a friend. She needed help. I’m sorry, Leia. I’m just not ready for a serious relationship.” And that wasn’t a lie.

She studied my face for long enough, I was afraid of what she might say, and how the hell I would get her out of my house. “I see. Well. I guess I’ll be around when you change your mind. And you will, Lee because I’m a great catch.”

She lifted her chin, and then, before I could think, she pressed her lips to mine. I put my hands on her hips, trying to keep her steady and push her away, but she seemed to take it as an invitation. She wrapped her leg around me, moving closer, and groaned. I pushed her away then, ripping my lips from hers.

“That’s enough, Leia. You’re nice, and you’re going to make somebody very happy. But that’s not going to be me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You liked it. I know you did.”

“Leia.”

She waved her hand in the air. “Fine. Call me when you come to your senses.” And with that, she walked out, leaving a trail of perfume and confusion in her wake.

I had no idea who the hell that woman was because it wasn’t the same one I had gone on dates with. Was it?

No. It must have been her. That was the problem before. There hadn’t been a true connection. Considering that I wasn’t a man who wanted a full-time relationship and didn’t want to get married or have kids or deal with any links like that, I usually dated women I knew I wouldn’t fall for.

That was on me. And now I needed to deal with the consequences.

I went about the rest of my night in a blur, eating a salad over the sink while thinking about work, Leia, and Paige.

I pulled out my phone, checked the time, and knew it wasn’t too late to text someone I probably shouldn’t be texting.

Me:Hey, you doing okay?

Paige:I’m fine. Okay, I guess. I’m going to tell the family this weekend.

I swallowed hard and almost called her but thought better of it. That would require me to actually use my voice, and it would put Paige on the spot.

Me:That’s good. Because I had lunch with Benjamin today, and it was odd to keep it a secret.

Paige:Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in the middle of it.

Me:I don’t mind. I’m glad I was there for you to lean on. I’ll always be there, Paige. You know that.

Paige:I do. Honestly, I do. And thank you for being there. I’m going to tell them this weekend, and then I don’t know, I’ll just figure things out.

Me:Do you want me to be there?

Paige:Seriously? You’d do that?

I swallowed hard, wondering why the answer wasyes.

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