Free Falling for Him by Alexandra O'Hurley Page B

healthy blush of life captivating, hinting at the spirit within her. She really was a beautiful woman when she wasn’t trying to hide in the shadows. He wondered what fiery passions she still hid within her and if he was man enough to unlock them.
    He thought back a few moments, to before he’d come into the café. He’d told himself he needed to steer clear of this female, get his thoughts straight, and figure out what he really wanted. “Have dinner with me tonight.”
    Liam wasn’t sure if his mouth and his brain were connected any more. When he was close to her, things sprung out that he wasn’t sure he should be saying. Especially when she reacted so strongly to his requests.
    Instantly, the hint of what she could be vanished and the awkward female returned. She pulled her hands from his and leaned back in her seat. “Dinner?”
    “Yes, dinner. A date.”
    Her eyes widened as she looked at him. “I told you I don’t need your pity.”
    “Pity? I’m not asking you to dinner out of pity.”
    “Then why are you?”
    “Because my eyes have been opened recently.”
    “To?”
    “I’d always kept you in a box in my mind, the little girl you’d once been. Seeing the hints of the real you has made me realize I don’t know you well enough. I’d like the chance if you’d let me.”
    A blush crept into her cheeks. “I don’t know if I’d be good company for you.”
    “You’ve done just fine here. I’ve rather enjoyed our stimulating conversation.”
    Olivia looked up at him, and he could almost see the wheels moving in her mind. She was silent for several heartbeats and the lengthening pause made him break out in a sweat awaiting her answer.
    “You just broke up with your girlfriend. I won’t jump into the void.” She rose and gathered the last of her belongings.
    “I would never treat you like that. I thought we knew each other better?”
    “As you just stated, you don’t really know me at all, Liam. Nor I, you.”
    “I know you’re attracted to me and it’s fairly obvious I’m attracted to you. Why can’t you let us see where this goes?”
    “Not like this. Not right after you broke it off with Jenny.” Olivia slung her bag over her shoulder and turned from him. “You need to get over all that. You need time.”
    As he watched her leave, frustration spread through him. He knew she had a point. No woman wanted to feel like she was a man’s rebound and he needed time to figure things out. But the attraction he felt couldn’t be denied, and she most definitely wasn’t his rebound. She’d walled herself up and needed those walls ripped down. He knew he wanted to be the man to do it, even if she was kicking and screaming the whole way.

Chapter 7
    Olivia sat looking at the blank screen before her. The words just wouldn’t come; her mind was still stuck in the café. His face and words had haunted her for two days. Had she made an enormous mistake? She’d had a crush on Liam for as long as she could remember, but even so, she wouldn’t go under those circumstances.
    She minimized the big sheet of stark white and opened up her messaging program. Luckily for her, her beta reader and fellow author Jess was online.
    “Liam asked me out.” The words slowly appeared on the screen as she typed the message.
    A few seconds later, a response appeared. “Are you serious? Yay! But wait, what about the girlfriend?”
    “It was seconds after breaking up with Ms. Perfect.”
    “Okay, less than yay. But it was still an invite. Shows he’s interested.”
    “Jess, he’s a pig. I’m no rebound date.”
    “Did you ever think he had finally seen who he wanted to be with and went for it?”
    Olivia paused, looking the words of the last message over twice, letting them sink into her brain. “No, I’m a book nerd and he’s a surgeon. We come from two different worlds. Get your head out of a romance novel.”
    “No, you don’t come from different worlds. He’s known you forever. Don’t be so quick