Aerin twisted her hands together in her lap, suddenly imagining Drake’s firm lips pressed to hers. What would he taste like? What would it feel like to have his mouth against hers in a passionate kiss? She had never been game enough to allow anyone to kiss her. She had always wanted her first kiss to be perfect, but she had spent so much time planning it, it hadn’t happened.
‘I guess a peck on the cheek or a brief kiss on the lips might be okay...’
‘Anything else I should do to be convincing?’
‘Well, one thing I’ve noticed about men who are in love with their partners and vice versa is a certain look they have in their eyes, kind of soft and tender and dewy.’
Drake screwed up his face in a grimace. ‘That’s probably outside my acting capabilities, I’m afraid. I’m not the soppy type.’
‘Yet another fail on my checklist,’ Aerin said not quite under her breath.
She felt rather than saw his glance. ‘Tell me about this checklist of yours. I probably should know what’s on it if I’m supposed to be pretending to be the man who’s actually managed to tick every box. How many are there?’
‘Eight.’
He whistled through his teeth. ‘I’m starting to see why you’ve got to almost thirty without finding a partner.’
Aerin flashed him an irritated look. ‘Personally, I think there would be a lot less divorces if men and women did think a little more deeply about what they want in a life partner. It would save a lot of heartache in the end.’
‘I’m sure it would.’ Something about his tone brought her gaze back to his but his expression was unreadable. ‘What’s number one on your list?’ he said after a moment’s silence.
‘I’m only going to tell you if you promise not to mock me.’
‘Okay, I promise not to mock you.’
She studied his inscrutable features for a beat or two. ‘I know it’s a bit clichéd, but I want a man who is tall and dark and handsome.’
‘Why not a blond or red-haired man?’
‘I can’t explain it other than I’ve always seen myself with someone with dark hair.’
‘And number two?’
‘Well, this is one you certainly don’t meet. I want a man who believes in love and is a romantic at heart.’
Drake’s top lip curled. ‘Three?’
She took a breath and let it out in a steady stream. ‘He has to be open and not ashamed of showing his feelings.’
He gave a low grunt that could have been agreement or scorn or maybe a bit of both. ‘Some men show their feelings too much. They have little or no emotional regulation. And their partners pay the price for it.’
‘I guess you see a lot of that in your line of work. People behaving badly.’
‘There’s a saying amongst lawyers—we see bad people behaving badly and good people behaving badly.’ He shifted the gears going around a corner and continued, ‘What’s number four?’
‘He needs to be close to his family.’
Another gear change, this time a little more forceful. ‘In proximity or emotionally?’
‘Emotionally, of course.’
‘Number five?’
‘He has to want to have kids.’
Drake whistled through his teeth. ‘You’re right, I don’t tick any boxes on your list.’
‘You don’t want kids? Ever?’