Page 19 of Daring to Love

I want to get to know Finlay. I want him to see me…the real me, and not the cold, aloof dancer.

Maybe this is the only chance I’ll get, and I should grab it?

Perhaps this is what my horoscope meant?

Argh.

“What’s wrong?” Finlay’s voice breaks my arguing with myself, and I shake my head.

“Just thinking.”

“Sorry I laughed at you, by the way.” His smile is sincere, which I appreciate. “You surprised me, that’s all.”

“It’s okay.”

“Thanks.” He wipes his mouth in his napkin before he takes an item out of his pocket and extends it to me. Frowning, I reach for it and look down at his mobile resting in my hand. Then I look back at him.

“What’s this?”

He lets out a prolonged sigh, laughter dancing in his eyes.

“Funny thing, that.” His eyes widen, making my lips twitch. “It’s a device that lets people communicate with each other over long distances.”

I can’t hold back an unladylike snort at his antics.

“Don’t mock,” he ticks at me. “What’s even more incredible is that you can write messages to another person, and they instantly let out a sound or vibrate when said messages reach you.”

“Har-har-har.” I roll my eyes.

He smirks as he reaches across the table and swipe the screen to unlock it.

“Can you please save your contact information? Mobile number, email, etc. That way, I won’t have to spend fifteen minutes getting them from you before I say goodnight to you at your doorstep.”

My tummy flips at his words.

Calm down, Amelie, this is not a date.

“How very sensible of you, Mr. Jensen.”

I hope he doesn’t hear the tremor in my voice, but if he does, he doesn’t show it. Quickly, I do as he asks and hand the mobile back to him.

“Ta.” He picks up his spoon and jerks his chin at my bowl. “Eat up, Amelie.”

I open my mouth to protest, but my stomach growling makes me jab it shut, and before I know it, I do as he says.

I break the silence a couple of minutes later.

“Don’t make it a habit.”

His eyes shoot up to his hairline, his hand pausing in mid-air between the bowl and those luscious lips of his.

“Do what?”

“I’m a Virgo,” I mutter around a bite of bread. “I don’t take orders well.”

He gives me a crooked grin and nods once.

“Duly noted.”