“So you brought your cousin on our date?” she asked. “Not sure if that’s a good sign or not.”
“I knew you’d say no to staying in and getting naked with me,” he said with a wink. “I wanted Dash to see what you’ve been doing here in town.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m proud of your hard work,” he said, then leaned over to kiss her.
She felt a spark go through her and her heart beat faster as her mind was starting to think that pushing for this closeness was going to pay off.
Conrad wasn’t sure how he found himself watching his cousin and Indy dance and getting slightly jealous, even though after two absinthe cocktails, Indy had told him that there wasn’t a man alive who looked as good as he did in a suit. He knew she wasn’t into anyone but him.
Which made him happier than it should have. The plain fact of the matter was the more time he spent with her, the more he realized that there was no way to keep her at arm’s length. He had thought that agreeing to this dating thing would potentially bore him and that he’d grow tired of her.
But he hadn’t. He was catching feelings and they were strong. Stronger than anything he experienced before and a part of him wanted to growl about it. But when he looked at Indy he just...well he couldn’t growl. She made him feel good inside and as much as he’d struggled with believing he deserved this kind of happiness he felt it was right there if he only had the courage to reach out and take it.
“Why aren’t you dancing?” Nola asked sitting down next to him. Nola was dressed like a gangster tonight in a pair of wide-leg dark pants with suspenders and a white shirt. She had on a flak cap and her hair had been pulled back to a low bun at the nape of her neck.
“Why aren’t you?”
“I have no coordination and the Charleston requires too much thinking.”
“Same.”
“I doubt that.”
“Dash asked Indy and we can’t both dance with her,” he said.
“So noble.”
“That’s me.”
“Your reputation says otherwise.”
He arched both eyebrows at her. “Is there a reason for this?”
She shrugged. “Indy is one of my few friends. I don’t want to see her get hurt. That being said, I’m glad to see the Gilberts back in town.”
He didn’t want to hurt her either. He hoped he wouldn’t. “The town is starting to shape up.”
“Thanks to your girl.”
His girl.
Was he ready for this? Date by date he had been letting her into his life and there were times when he held back because he was afraid. But the truth was, for weeks now he knew that he wanted more from Indy, and from himself.
Neither of them was good at dating, and sitting in a restaurant or going to a movie didn’t appeal to them. So they’d had a picnic at his place in the city. Another night Indy insisted they lie on her couch and he read out loud to her from a book of poems by Lord Byron. Then there was tonight, the speakeasy around Gilbert Corners. Two people who were both used to the spotlight when it came to their TV shows guarding their privacy just letting their guards down with each other.
It felt odd to have found a woman who suited him so perfectly. It made him remember the man he’d been before the accident and he didn’t necessarily like it. She was putting him in touch with parts of himself he’d ignored for a long time. He didn’t know how to move forward. But he sensed that was fear holding him back.
“Indy’s the best,” he said, but even to his own ears that sounded trite. She was so much more than the best. She’d put her heart and soul into rejuvenating this town. And next weekend he was going to come to town with his TV show and give her the national exposure she wanted.
“She is. So your show taping...do you need any audience members?” Nola asked. “My mom is a huge fan.”
He had the feeling this was really why Nola was over here. “I’ll put you in touch with my producer. Give me your number.”
She pulled a business card out of her pocket and handed it to him. “Thanks. I’m going to ask your cousin to dance so Indy will be free.”
He got to his feet but didn’t follow Nola. The last time he’d danced with anyone had been that winter ball ten years ago.