Page 27 of A Gingerbread Romance

She laughed again, relieved. How good-natured and humble of him, finding out she hadn’t personally chosen to go out with him, and not seeming to mind.

His laughter finally faded. “You’re not going to believe this, then.” He tried to keep a straight face but failed.

“What?” She grinned, slapping his forearm playfully. “What’s so funny?”

“Promise you won’t get upset, either.”

“Okay.” She eyed him cautiously. “I promise, I guess?”

He paused. “My brother and my sister-in-law set me up with you. I only said I’d go so they’d get off my back.”

Her eyes went wide. “Are you serious? You, too?” Thiswasfunny.

“Totally serious.”

Both of them spilled over with laughter.

Greta finally managed to speak again. “The unusual circumstance behind our introduction means we were eitherdestinedto meet or destined very muchnotto meet. I’m still not sure which one it was,” she said, still giggling.

Jonathan’s expression softened, and his tone changed to a more serious one. His eyes locked on her. “I know we said we’re just friends, Greta, and maybe it wasn’t meant to be, but I, for one, am really glad we met.”

Greta inhaled quickly, her heart stumbling. “I am, too.” This man was incredible. He was fun, handsome, honest, and straightforward. He didn’t play games. She’d never met anyone like him. Maybe itwasmeant to be? Her tone became more serious to match his. “Jonathan, what’s going to happen when your building deal here is done? Will you go back to Baltimore right away?”

He studied her for a beat. “Actually, I, uh, planned to stay at the apartment for another week to spend more time with my brothers. I took my nephews sledding yesterday, and helped my brother Wade with some projects in his workshop. I was thinking I might want to go cross country skiing sometime, too.” His brow rose, and Greta remembered what she’d told him about her love of the sport. “Maybe you’d like to join me? After Christmas, maybe?”

He wasn’t leaving right away, and he’d remembered she enjoyed cross-country skiing? “That sounds great.”

“You could take me to that spot with the frozen waterfall.”

He remembered what she’d told him about her favorite place, too? Her heart was downright melting. “I’d love to.”

They were making plans now. Talking about the future, only in a very small, granular way, of course, but it was intoxicating all the same. Neither of them had crossed the platonic line, but it seemed she wasn’t the only one feeling a lot more than just friendship at the moment. Or, in general.

Yet her nerves danced. This wasn’t right. She shouldn’t allow herself to think this way.

“Great. It’s a date—oops.” He stopped, grinning. “It’s—not a date, then. Just friends.”

She grinned back. “Not a date, it is.” She offered him knuckles, and he bumped her fist.

“Since you brought it up, though, Greta…” His playful grin held fast. “What made you ask?” He reached for her hands and took them in his, linking their fingers gently but without tightening his grip. No part of her wanted to pull them away. Softly, his hands caressed hers, and she felt a rush of warmth on her skin.

Was a little handholding so wrong? Maybe not, but her feelings for Jonathan were growing. She could no more maintain a simple and straightforward friendship with this man than she could give up breathing.

He pulled her closer, and she dropped her gaze to his chest and shoulders, her head lowered, his chin so close. What should she say? She closed her eyes and inhaled, allowing the spicey scent of his cologne to fill her nostrils. So masculine. Soeverythingshe wanted.

“Greta,” Jonathan murmured.

She swallowed and looked up at him, finally. He’d dropped the grin and was gazing at her more seriously.

“I don’t like to think about you leaving. I’m glad to hear you’ll be staying for a while.”

His lip curled up gently, and his voice came in softly, almost a whisper. “I still wish things were different between us. No one would have to know if we started dating now, until after the sale of this building is final, if we wanted to do that.”

He was saying everything she wanted him to say. But she couldn’t hide something like that from everyone at work, if they were to date. It would be written all over her face. Judy was almost as good as Jean at reading her. “I want that, too, but…”

Her head swam with confusion. Dating him while Brett and Elaine were evicting people and while she still wasn’t sure how much her rent would increase was exactly what she had vowed not to do. Not during this time period, as enticing as it was.

And then there was the issue of his living in another place altogether when his visit here was over, if theywereto date.

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