6

She reached for her handbag as Daniel rested one hand on the back of the chair.

“You still haven’t finished your drink.”

“I don’t want it.”

“I paid for it.”

“I know.”

“It seems a shame.”

“I’ll pay you back.”

He laughed.

“I don’t want your money.”

“I know.”

“So stay.”

His tone remained conversational which somehow made it worse. Amelia looked around the room again. People were talking, eating, laughing. Nobody had noticed. Nobody had any reason to. From where anyone else sat, they probably looked like two people having a perfectly ordinary conversation.

She wished someone would look over. Just once. Just long enough to notice the panic steadily building inside her. Daniel leaned forwards slightly.

“I promise I’m harmless.”

“I never said you weren’t.”

“You keep acting like I’m bothering you.”

“You are.”

The words escaped before she had time to soften them. Daniel blinked and his expression hardened for barely a second then the smile returned once more.

“I think you’re misunderstanding me.”

“No.”

“I just want to get to know you.”

“I don’t want to get to know you.”

Silence settled between them. Daniel studied her face.

“I’ve been polite all evening.”

“I know.”

“I’ve complimented you.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“I bought you a drink.”

“I didn’t ask for that either.”

His jaw tightened.

“You know,” he said quietly, “most women appreciate a bit of attention.”

“I never asked for yours.”

For the first time, genuine irritation flickered across his face. Amelia immediately wished she had phrased it differently. She hated making people angry even when they deserved it. Especially when they deserved it. Daniel let out a slow breath.

“I think you’re overreacting.”

“I think I’ve been perfectly clear.”

“You’ve been confusing.”

“I don’t think I have.”

“You smiled.”

She frowned.

“What?”

“You smiled at me.”

Realisation washed over her. Her stomach sank. She had smiled because that was what she always did. At cashiers, neighbors, delivery drivers, parents collecting children from school. Anyone. It had never occurred to her that simple politeness could be interpreted as permission.

“I smile at everyone.”

“Not like that.”

“It wasn’t an invitation.”

“No?”

He folded his arms.

“So why let me sit down?”

“I was trying to be polite.”

“There it is again.”

She stared at him.

“You’re too polite.”

Before she could answer, another voice spoke beside her. Warm, calm and entirely unexpected.

“There you are, sweetheart.”

A large hand settled gently against the back of her chair before an arm slipped comfortably around her shoulders with effortless familiarity.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Amelia looked up. The man standing beside her was impossibly tall, dressed in dark jeans and a charcoal shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms. Dark hair framed a face that belonged on the cover of one of the romance novels lying forgotten on her table, while warm hazel eyes settled on her with quiet reassurance. For an instant, something flickered across his face. Surprise or shock maybe. Something so quickly hidden Amelia wondered if she'd imagined it.

For the briefest second, confusion stole every coherent thought from her mind. Then she understood. He was giving her a way out. The relief hit so suddenly it almost made her dizzy. Before she even realised she was doing it, Amelia leaned ever so slightly into the warmth of his side. She barely knew this man, yet somehow he felt infinitely safer than the one sitting opposite her.

“Oh…”

She forced herself to smile.

“There you are.”

The stranger’s expression softened almost imperceptibly.

“I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”

He glanced at the untouched drink on the table before looking at Daniel for the first time. His smile never faltered.

“I’m sorry,” he said pleasantly. “I'm stealing my girlfriend for a while."

Daniel looked between them. His confidence wavered just a fraction.

"Funny," Daniel said. "She never mentioned having a boyfriend."

He looked Amelia slowly up and down.

"And she looked pretty single five minutes ago."

The stranger smiled as though it amused him.

"Looks can be misleading."

The stranger’s arm remained lightly around Amelia’s shoulders. Amelia nodded quickly.

“Come on sweetheart, let's find seats somewhere quieter." he said softly. 

The tall man offered her his hand and Amelia looked at it for only a heartbeat before placing hers in his.

His fingers closed around hers with surprising gentleness. Without another glance at Daniel, they walked towards the back of the room together. Only when they were several steps away did Amelia realise she was still holding his hand.

Strangely, she found she didn't want to let go.