Page 39 of Love Out Loud

She sighed, imagining Jake touching her hand and giving her a heated look like that.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he said, still relaxed back in his chair as he placed his wineglass on the table.

“Not even worth a penny,” she said.

He leaned forward. “Not true. I’d pay good money to know what you’re thinking.”

She leaned forward as well. “Then you, my friend, do not make sound financial decisions.”

“My friend,” he repeated. “Then I’ve moved up. I’m pretty sure that during that group session I was public enemy number one.”

“Personalenemy number one. The public wouldn’t have taken offense.”

He smiled and leaned back again.

That smile. God. She could sink so far into that warm, fuzzy feeling that wrapped around her like a blanket when he smiled. Instead, she cleared her throat and forced herself back to business. “So, do you want me to give my speech now? It’s probably a good time because the food won’t be out for a while. Also, I’ve only had a sip of wine and it’s still early enough that nobody’s sitting near us.”

He picked up his wineglass and glanced around the courtyard as if he hadn’t noticed anything but her. “Sure. If you want to.”

Want to? She never wanted to give this speech. Any speech. But that’s what they were here for, wasn’t it? “Not sure it’s as much a case of want as it is of need.”

His reply was only an arch of one eyebrow.

“I mean. I don’t need to give the speech. I’m only doing it for Jane. But if I’m going to have to give it, I need to practice it. I don’t want to. I—”

“You ramble when you’re rattled. Why are you rattled?”

She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times but couldn’t come up with an answer. Maybe it was the speech. Maybe it was the romantic setting. Maybe it was the fact she was within touching distance of Hot Guy from her apartment building, who had turned out to be a lot more than good looks. Maybe it was that freckle under his lip that seemed even more pronounced in the flickering light from the candle in the middle of their little table.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Picture your dogs and deliver the speech to them.”

Good. Yes. She never had trouble talking to animals. Closing her eyes, she imagined Daisy and Otto sitting on the foot of her bed, heads tilted as they had listened to her earlier today. After a deep inhale, she began.

…

Jake found himself holding his breath, mesmerized. Fiona seemed to get prettier every time he saw her. Tonight, she was stunning. Her shoulder-length dark hair was highlighted with gold from the table’s flickering candle, and she’d put on makeup that made her lips appear fuller and her eyes look even bigger. Her blue top wasn’t overtly sexy, but it clung to her shape as if it had been tailor-made.

He almost laughed. He’d never wanted to hear a speech so badly in his life.

She began speaking quietly and quickly, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth.

No. He didn’t want to hear the speech. He wanted to kiss the speaker. Badly.

As she rattled off the words, he imagined silencing her with his lips. His muscles tightened as if his body were going to override his senses and carry out that mission. He consciously relaxed back in his chair so she could continue to the end.

It’s not like this was the norm for him. In fact, it had never happened before. Clients had never been a temptation or even a consideration. Why her?

“Why do I do it?” she said. “How could I not?”

How could I not…

He stood from his chair, stepped around the table, tipped her face up with his fingers, and covered her mouth with his.

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