Page 56 of The Lost Heiress
Ana stared down at her plate. She desperately wished for a shovel so she could dig a hole through the floor and escape from his gaze. She could feel his eyes focused so intently on her, and her cheeks flamed. Why did she open her mouth? Why had she started talking at all?
“But I did want to kiss you,” Ransom said matter-of-factly. “That’s why I got up and walked away.”
Ana looked up at him. “See, that’s not usually what someone does when theywantto kiss someone.”
“I wanted to, but I didn’t think Ishould,” Ransom said. “I’m your employer. And I’m older than you.”
“Not so much older,” Ana said quickly.
“Yes, well, still your employer,” Ransom said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to get romantically involved.”
“Oh, yes, I’m in complete agreement there,” Ana said heartily.
“You are?”
“Absolutely,” Ana said. “I’m notin lovewith you, Ransom. It was a momentary attraction thing. And I’m very happy for it never to happen again.”
“Good,” Ransom said. He was quiet for a moment. “At the same time,” Ransom went on, “I don’t think we need to avoid each other completely. I like spending time with you. I enjoy your company.”
“You do?” Ana asked.
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“Kind of,” Ana said. “You so rarely look like you enjoy anything.”
Ransom laughed.
“So where does that leave us, then?” Ana asked.
“Well, I don’t see why we can’t be friends,” Ransom said.
“Friends,” Ana said, as if it were a foreign word she was trying on for the first time. “Yes, all right. Friends.”
Ransom reached out his hand.
“What are you doing?” Ana asked.
“Shaking on it,” Ransom said.
“Is a verbal agreement not enough?”
“Don’t be so contrary, Ana,” Ransom said. “People have been using handshakes to solidify deals and alliances for centuries. Medieval knights would shake hands to show they weren’t carrying any weapons.”
“Fine,” Ana said, rolling her eyes but extending her hand all the same. “I’m just saying, I have a lot of friends, and we’ve never shaken on it. Things have turned out fine so far.”
Ransom took her hand in his. His hand was so much bigger than hers. It was warm and steady, and the way he held on to her made her stomach do a not-unpleasant twist.
Ana swallowed. “Is there anything else we need to do?” she asked. “Exchange blood oaths, perhaps? Do some sort of chant?”
Ransom smiled but let her hand go. She immediately missed the weight of his hand on hers, his warmth.
“No, that will suffice,” Ransom said.
“Good,” Ana said.
She drew her hand back into her lap under the table. As she absently traced the lines of her palm with her left thumb, she sent up a silent prayer that the promise they’d both made wouldn’t be so hard to keep.
Chapter Nineteen
