Page 21 of Stalker's Valentine

“Like a date?” I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry.

“Yes.” The confidence exuded from every pore of the beautiful man.

“I don’t date,” I blurted out accidentally. It wasn’t a lie. I had given up on that. “I just mean… I don’t know, umm…”

“You mentioned you were thinking about trying something new at the coffee shop.”

“That was about a drink,” I pointed out. I had no idea why I wasn’t jumping at the chance or how the hell I had the guts to even explain.

“And by the way you finished it, it makes me think you enjoyed it?”

“Maybe.” I chewed on my bottom lip. His hand reached for mine, and for some reason, I let him take it. I didn’t try to swat him away or pull him back.

“Maybe you could give me a chance? Maybe going to dinner with me will be something you’ll like?”

“For a date?” My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets.

“Yeah, cutie, for a date.” His lips twitched like he was trying not to embarrass me by laughing.Cutie?Had he really called me that?

“Me?” He nodded. My lungs seized for a second when he took a step forward, putting his body just that much closer to mine. All without his eyes wavering from mine.

Everything and everyone faded away. Just like it had at the coffee shop. And when he started to talk? I should have been prepared. The man was one surprise after another, but nothing could have surprised me more.

“There is something about you, Scarlett, that’s made it impossible to stay away,” he confessed.

“Stay away?” I asked and blinked.

Could he be my secret admirer?God, the thought was ridiculous. No, a man like Merritt didn’t play games.He doesn’t! He just showed up at your doorstep with flowers and a dinner invitation!the voice perked up.

“We can go to the brewery, if that would make you feel better,” he offered in a gentle tone. Almost like he was trying to soothe a frightened animal.

“Why would that make me feel better?”

“I don’t know. I’m someone you don’t know. I figured you would want to go out somewhere in public that you’re familiar with and where there are people you know.”

“God, no.” The words bubbled out without the ability to stop them. “I just mean… look, Meritt.” His hand squeezed mine.

“One dinner. Anywhere in the world you wanna go,” he offered, and I believed him. How couldn’t I when he sounded and looked so sincere? I didn’t know this man from Adam. I’d offered him a drink when I’d bumped into him, but he’d disappeared before I spoke the words.

“Unless you have other plans.” His features changed. Turned a little darker. Like the idea of me going out or having plans that didn’t include him would bother him. “A date, perhaps?” His jaw clenched, and I giggled. I couldn’t help it.

My head tilted, and for some reason, showing me that little bit of vulnerability, that interest in me, chipped away at the walls I’d built around myself. “I don’t date, remember?”

“Plans with your sisters?” he guessed.

“How do you know about them?”

“You guys always have lunch or dinner together. At the brewery.” He shrugged and I smiled. Yeah, the guy had definitely been paying attention to me when I’d seen him there.

“No plans. I was actually thinking about ordering a pizza because I was in the mood to sit and watch a movie,” I shared, and his gaze softened. Then, because if I was going to try something new, why not have a movie night with someone I didn’t know? “Would you like to join me?” I asked. I would have thought I’d be freaking out while I waited for his answer, but I wasn’t. I was oddly comfortable in my own skin around him. Sure, there were nerves, but that was more due to excitement about spending time with him than anything else. Being around Merrick felt like I’d known him forever. Like coming home.

“I offered you dinner anywhere in the world, and you wanna stay in with pizza and a movie?”

“I mean…” I sounded pathetic.And boring.This was where he’d step away and go along with it but leave as quickly as he could. I was sure of it.

What I didn’t expect was for his hand on my hip to pull me flush up against him, like I belonged to him. I tipped my head back, and when he dipped his lower so he was at my eye level, he smiled. And not justanysmile.

This one almost looked foreign over his features but was so bright and alarmingly beautiful I found myself resting my hands on his chest. The tips of my fingers curled into his dress shirt. Not to push him away but to hold on to him.

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