Free ROMANCING THE BULLDOG by Mallory Monroe Page B

well being was so far in
    her past, so foreign to her now, that she couldn’t remember the last time it had happened. Or
    how to respond to it.
    “I meant what I said,” Jason said. Then he stared at her with a look of concern in his eyes.
    “How are you, Liz?”
    “I’m . . . fine. I mean, why wouldn’t I be?”
    “Why wouldn’t you be? Well, let’s see: you were covered in mud when last we met, thanks
    to that driver of mine. You looked as if you’d lost your best friend, your dog, and everything
    else of meaning in your life. You were almost mugged and dragged nearly to your death. And
    all of this after only one month in town. I’m no expert, Elizabeth, but I would say yup, you
    have plenty reasons to not necessarily be on top of your game.”
    Liz realized she was being unfairly insensitive and attempted to smile. Her string of bad
    luck, a string she had been growing too familiar with, was turning her into the kind of bitter,
    defensive female she hated. “I guess you have a point,” she said airily. “But no, I’m good.
    Everything’s okay. And thanks again for all your help. Really.”
    “How’s that side of yours? Better?”
    “Yes, much better. In fact all. Sorry about falling asleep on you.”
    “No need whatsoever to apologize. I’m just glad I could help. I’m not your enemy, Liz.
    You’ll realize that one of these days.”
    Liz didn’t know how to respond to that. She never saw him as an enemy. Nor as a friend,
    either, come to that. Yet she’d been so intimate with him the two times they had been together
    that he had to be more to her than a mere acquaintance.
    “Well,” he said when time passed without her responding at all, and he stood up. “I have a
    meeting across town, so I’d better get going. I just thought I’d drop in and say hello.”
    Liz started to stand to, but, realizing that she had one shoe on and one shoe off, opted to
    stay put.
    Jason stood there, his hands in his pockets, jingling his change and staring at her. Liz
    wondered why he didn’t just leave, but then wondered if he was waiting for her to at least
    stand in a show of common courtesy. She stood.
    “Thanks for coming by,” she said, meaning it. She knew he probably had to sneak away
    from his handlers and aides to come in this neighborhood again, and she appreciated the
    gesture.
    “No reason to thank me,” Jason said. “I needed to make sure you were okay.”
    He needed to make sure, Liz thought. Why would he need to make sure?
    “Well, I appreciate it anyway,” she said and then leaned over her desk and extended her
    hand. Jason quickly moved up to the desk and shook her hand, his entire body suddenly
    warmed by her touch. Their eyes met, his blue ones staring into her brown ones, and it was
    then and there that he knew why he had come. He wasn’t sure about it when he’d first saw
    her again yesterday, but looking up close into those sad, heartfelt eyes of hers, renewed his
    faith. There was something about that look in her eyes, that almost doleful look, that drew him
    to her.
    Liz felt something too. Something strong and something sensual when he shook her hand.
    It was the same odd feeling she’d felt yesterday in her tub. She dismissed it at the time as an
    accumulation of bare emotions after a day filled with too many emotions, but what was her
    excuse today? She was still disappointed and still having an unbelievably rough go of it
    (nothing about her life yesterday had changed for the better today), but those odd feelings for
    this man, still overtook her.
    They continued to stare at the other as they both began to realize that they were no longer
    shaking hands but, given the lack of movement, were actually holding hands. As soon as Liz
    realized this blunder she eased her hand out of his grip.
    “Have dinner with me tonight,” Jason said before he had a moment to even think about
    saying it. The way he blurted it out seemed impulsive to Liz.
    “Dinner?” she said.
    “If