Page 63 of A Win-Win Situation

I nod, accepting his apology, and a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips.

"Thank you for apologizing; I was afraid we would tiptoe around each other for the rest of the year."

"I don’t think I could handle that."

"Me neither," I admit, "and I’m sorry for raising my voice and for throwing that drink at your face. It wasn’t okay, I shouldn’t have acted that way."

"I understand why though, I was an ass."

"Well, yes, you were. And to be honest, I was quite upset that I didn’t finish the drink. It was delicious."

"I’ll get you another one if you promise to drink it this time." Lucas lets out a little chuckle, his dimple on full display.

He’s so beautiful, it hurts not to raise my hand and caress his face the way I inexplicably crave to.

"Friends?" I say, extending my hand as a peacemaking gesture, hoping we can move past the tension and start over.

Lucas momentarily stares at my outstretched hand, then, his lips stretch into the most breathtaking smile, and a flurry of butterflies take flight in my stomach.

"Friends." He reaches out to shake my hand. An electric zap courses between us as soon as our hands touch, causing us to startle and pull our hands away.

He tilts his head, looking at me with curiosity and amusement. My eyes go to his smile, focusing on his soft lips. My mind drifts back to the kiss we shared and it’s begging me to do it again.

As Lucas's gaze lingers on me, I can't resist the pull I sense toward him. With a surge of courage, I raise my hand and gently move the loose curls away from his face with my hand—something I’ve been wanting to do since the first time I laid eyes on him. His hair is so soft to the touch.

Lucas closes his eyes, savoring the sensation of my fingers in his hair. A low groan escapes his lips, and my body reacts at the sound. I feel a rush of desire between my legs, and I shift in my seat, trying to alleviate the sudden ache. It’s been building up from reading my book, and having him sit next to me is only adding to my arousal.

When he opens his eyes, the look he gives me sends a shudder through me. It's a look filled with hunger and longing, and I know, without a doubt, that he feels the same attraction that I do.

For a few moments, we sit there in silence, lost in our own thoughts and desires. I want him, Ineed him.This lust between us has to go somewhere, it can’t just keep building.

I'm torn between the desire to lean in and kiss him, and the fear of ruining everything this marriage pact is for.

So I make a choice, and snap out of the magical moment, pulling back as I let go of his hair, breaking the physical contact between us.

Lucas seems to sense my hesitation, and he gives me a reassuring smile.

"We should sleep. It’s your first day at your new job tomorrow." His eyes glimmer, and I nod at him as we both stand up.

"Goodnight, Lucas," I say softly, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to ignore the butterflies still dancing wildly in my stomach.

"Goodnight, Leora," he replies, his voice husky.

Time seems to stand still for a moment as we gaze into each other's eyes, the air charged with unspoken emotions. He gives me a half-smile, his dimple, once again, visible. I turn around, my steps a bit unsteady, and begin walking toward my room.

As I'm about to take another step, his voice stops me in my tracks.

"Leora." I look over my shoulder.

"Remember when you told me that you came up to me to feel a bit more confident?"

I simply nod at him, holding my breath as I wait for what he has to say.

"A girl like you doesn’t need a guy like me to be confident," he says softly, before he turns around and walks to his room.

That might be one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me.

Do I believe him?

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