Page 78 of The Law of Attraction
“I’m not scared. I’m trying to be logical.” She tugged at the cuffs of her shirt, pulling them down over the backs of her hands.
“What’s logical about giving up before we’ve even had a chance to get started?”
“We don’t even like each other.”
“We both just admitted that we do.”
“What if we’re wrong?”
“I think I know how I feel.”
She shook her head. “You only think you have feelings for me because we’ve been stuck together like conjoined twins for the past three days. We’re both suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.” She couldn’t stop herself, even though she was arguing against the thing she wanted.
“That’s not what Stockholm Syndrome is. If anything, all the stressful situations we’ve been through this week should make us like each other less, not more. The fact that it brought us closer means something.”
“No, it doesn’t. It’s like one of those wartime romances that burns really hot for a short time and then flames out when life goes back to normal.”
“You think this week is what war is like?”
“No, of course not. All I mean is that relationships based on intense experiences never work out.”
He glanced at her in disbelief. “Are you quoting Speed now?”
“Maybe, but Sandra Bullock was right! Keanu wasn’t in the sequel, was he? She was with Jason Patric!”
“Yeah, and Speed 2 sucked. But I don’t see how the casting problems of a failed nineties action franchise have any bearing on what’s happened between us.”
“All we ever seem to do is argue.”
“I love arguing with you.”
She loved it too, although it surprised her to realize it. Arguing with Adam wasn’t like arguing with other people, because he actually listened to her. Like, super intently. It gave her a rush to have all of his attention focused on her and her ideas. And unlike a lot of people, he didn’t play devil’s advocate or argue just for the sake of disagreeing. He was willing to have his mind changed, and didn’t shy away from admitting when he was wrong.
Arguing with Adam engaged her competitive instincts, but it also got her hot. Even now, arguing about their possible non-future, she could feel the heat pooling in the pit of her stomach. She was staring at his mouth and thinking about how much she wanted to feel his lips on her again.
She made one last attempt to parry. “If we try this and it doesn’t work out, it could make work really hard.” It had seemed like such a good reason before, but now it felt like a lame excuse.
“Maybe, maybe not.” He gave a one-shouldered shrug. “If it does, I’ll get another job. I can work anywhere.” He made it sound so easy, like it hadn’t ruined his life the last time he’d had to do it.
“I don’t want you to have to do that.”
“I think you’re worth the risk.”
A well of emotion burst inside her. How was he just sitting there calmly driving the car and saying such incredible words to her? And why did he have to say them now, when she couldn’t climb into his lap and kiss him without killing them both in a fiery vehicular crash?
He dared a glance at her and must have liked what he saw in her expression, because a smile lit up his whole face, so beautiful it made her eyes water.
He laid his arm across the console like he’d done yesterday, with his palm face up and beckoning to her. “Marco.”
“Polo,” she whispered, and slipped her hand into his.
Chapter Nineteen
Adam was staring at her again. He’d been staring at her for hours, devouring her with his eyes.
Instead of sitting behind her, today when they’d arrived at the control shack he’d chosen a desk farther away, but facing hers. So he could gaze at her with those glorious dark eyes that turned her legs to jelly.
She felt ensnared by every look he cut her way. How was she supposed to survive the whole day with him watching her like a terrier tracking a squirrel? The sensations it inspired in her made it difficult to concentrate. There was some self-consciousness, and some embarrassment, but also something deeper and wilder. Craving. Desire. Excitement.
