Chapter 44

But his face didn’t wear a hint of mockery anywhere, and neither did his sigh sound mocking as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, then leaned forward to place something on her menu.

Needing to swallow the lump in her throat now because his eyes were so dark and intent on her, Charley looked down—and froze.

"Tell me," he said quietly, "which part of this note upset you so much that you screwed it into a tight ball and threw it to the kitchen floor."

Charley shook her head, the tears gathering. "I didn't know I had dropped it there."

‘This part?’ he persisted as if she hadn’t spoken, pointing with a finger at the bit where he’d written, "Dinner eight o'clock." This part upset you because you believed I was issuing one of my arrogant commands instead of a request? "Or was it this part, Cara," he went on gently, "where I was insensitive enough to point out it would be our first date?"

He knew which part it was that had upset her—he’d just teased her with it before he produce