“Give it to me.”
Ducking my chin, I said, “I’m trying to.” I laid the strap over her shoulder, brushing the side of her neck with my fingers. It wasn’t on purpose that time and when she jumped, so did my heart. Backing away, I picked up the flashlight. “See? I was just being a gentleman.”
“I don’t think you’re a gentleman, but thank you.”
Her words were an odd mix of sincerity and frustration, and she didn’t say anything else as we started back with only the narrow swath of light from the flashlight.
“This place is kind of creepy at night, don’t you think?”
She nodded as she looked over at the dark, looming shadows of the monuments. “Well, I guess, if there’s going to be any place in the world haunted, it would be a place like this.”
“You believe in ghosts?”
Shortcake shrugged. “I don’t know. Never seen one.”
“Me neither.”
One side of her lips curved up. “That’s a good thing I suppose.”
I stopped at the passenger side of the truck. “Milady.”
“Thank you.”
Since there was a little less frustration in her voice, I decided to test my luck. I leaned against the open door, watching the interior light caress the edges of her face. “So, what about it?”
“What about what?”
I tilted my head to the side. “Go out on a date with me.”
She stiffened. “Why?”
“Why not?”
“That’s not an answer.” She grabbed the seatbelt, whipping it around her.
“What kind of question was that? How am I—hey, it’s just a seat belt. Not that hard.” I leaned over, taking the belt from her. As our hands brushed, she plastered herself against the seat. It was such a strange reaction that the tiny hairs on the back of my neck rose as I lifted my gaze. “Why shouldn’t we go out on a date?”
Her hands balled into fists in her lap. I wanted to let go of the damn seat belt, take her hands in mine, and ease them out of the tight ball. “Because … because we don’t know each other.”
I smiled slightly as I moved my gaze up, centering on her mouth. “That’s what a date is all about. Getting to know each other. Go out on a date with me.”
“There’s nothing to know about me,” she whispered.
“I’m sure there is tons to know about you.”
“There’s not.”
I leaned closer, inhaling her sweet scent. “Then we can spend the time with me talking.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“Oh, it will be more thrilling than watching Raphael cross a road.”
“Ha.” Amusement flashed in her dark eyes.
“Thought you’d like that.”
Her gaze flickered to where her bag rested against her legs and then back to mine. “Can we go yet?”
“Can we go on a date?”
A sound of frustration came from her. “Good God, you don’t give up.”
“Nope.”
Shortcake laughed, and I couldn’t stop the smile from forming on my lips. I liked the sound of her laugh, when she really laughed. “I’m sure there are plenty of girls who want to go out on a date with you.”
“There are.”
“Wow. Modest aren’t you?”
“Why should I be? And I want to go out on a date with you. Not them.”
She shook her head slightly. “I don’t understand why.”
And I didn’t understand why she didn’t get it. “I can think of a few reasons. You’re not like most girls.” True. “That interests me.” And it really did. “You’re awkward in this really … adorable way. You’re smart. Want me to list more?”
“No. Not at all,” she replied. “I don’t want to go out on a date with you.”
I didn’t believe it. Call it intuition, experience, or plain old cockiness, I didn’t believe her at all. “I figured you’d say that.”
“Then why did you ask?”
I leaned back, grabbing the side of the door. “Because I wanted to.”
“Oh. Well. Okay. Glad you got it out of your system.”
What did she think this was? Hell, I didn’t even know what this was. “I haven’t gotten it out of my system.”
Her shoulders slumped. “You haven’t?”
“Nope.” I smiled. “There’s always tomorrow.”
“What about tomorrow?”
“I’ll ask you again.”
She shook her head. “The answer will be the same.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” I tapped the tip of her nose, grinning as she narrowed her eyes at me. “And maybe you’ll say yes. I’m a patient guy, and hey, like you said, I don’t give up easily.”
“Great,” she muttered, but there was a glimmer in her eyes, the same sheen that had been there when she was checking me out.
“Knew you’d see it that way.” I tweaked the tip of her nose, and she smacked my hand away. “Don’t worry. I know the truth.”
“The truth about what?”
I moved back in case she swung again. “You want to say yes, but you’re just not ready.”
Shortcake looked like she actually did see a ghost.
“It’s okay. I’m a lot to handle, but I can assure you, you’ll have fun handling me.” Before she could respond, I tapped her nose and then closed the door, grinning to myself as I loped around the front of the truck.
I watched Avery head into her apartment. She stopped halfway in, tucked the glossy copper strands behind her ear as she peeked over her shoulder at me.
A small, shy smile pulled at her lips as she waved good-bye and then slipped inside, quietly closing the door behind her.
Standing there a few more moments, like a creeper, I finally turned toward my door. As I reached for the knob, the door swung open.
Jase
