Free A Designed Affair by Cheryl Barton Page B

figure and nothing more. I know for a fact that Duron would kill me if I ever took action on my feelings for you. It’s dangerous territory Loren, yet here we are.”
    She understood completely what he was saying. She was having the same struggles when it came to what her family would think of any type of connection between them besides friendship.
    “Okay Mike, can I be even more honest here?”
    Mike merely shook his head yes in response.
    “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the night we danced. It somehow felt different. It felt sexual and erotic and I wanted to leave because I was feeling out of control. I needed to put some space between us. Then in the car, I really wanted you to kiss me, but somehow I was glad when you didn’t, not because I didn’t want the kiss, but because I wasn’t sure what it would lead to or what I was ready for.”
    “When did you become this beautiful woman standing in front of me? One day you are this young girl and then I look up and you’re this gorgeous woman.”
    “Mike, with all of the women you run through, I hardly think that you have enough time to focus on me, but it’s very flattering of you to say so.”
    “It’s not flattery Loren, it’s the truth. Yes, I do date a lot of women, but it’s all non-committal and that’s mutually agreed upon. That also doesn’t mean I don’t think of you because I do. I think that you are beautiful and any other man with eyes can see that.”
    Loren nibbled on her lip, nervously hearing the compliment. She’d often been told that by men, but for some reason, it sounded different coming from Mike and she not only believed him, but she liked hearing him say it.
    “I make you nervous Loren? If so, that’s not my intent when I compliment you.”
    “No, you don’t make me nervous.”
    He knew she was lying.
    “Loren, you are nibbling on your lips. You do that when you’re nervous.”
    He smiled and she smiled back, liking that he knew her so well.
    “Okay, well maybe just a little. It’s not you that makes me nervous Mike, it’s being around you that makes me nervous. I like you, but I wouldn’t want anything to come in between not only your friendship, but the successful business partnership you have with Duron.”
    He understood what Loren was saying and he was glad that she could relate to how he was feeling.
    “So what do you suggest we do here Loren? I don’t think this vibe that’s developing between us is going to go away. Jase mentioned it to me that night at the restaurant.”
    Mike’s comment about Jase shocked her.
    “Jason mentioned what that night?” she asked, shocked.
    He couldn’t back out now with giving her all of the details.
    “He mentioned that he could see something was happening between us and his advice was that I stop it now before all hell broke loose if I acted on what he thought he saw. He’s right you know. Knowing my reputation with the ladies, Duron would kick my ass if he knew I had thoughts about his sister, like what he and I have shared over the years about women. You know how he is when it comes to you. He’s got shields up and no one passes go or collects two hundred dollars that he doesn’t approve of and we both know, it doesn’t matter how close friends we are, he knows my lifestyle and nowhere will he see his sister fitting into that.”
    Loren smiled at his mentioned of the object of the Monopoly game. She looked over at him standing, waiting for her direction. He needed her to take the lead here and walk away because though he obviously wanted her, he didn’t want this to become a sour spot and ruin friendships because he couldn’t control his libido.
    “What do you want to do Mike?”
    Mike hesitated before deciding if he should be totally honest with her. He wanted her in the worse way and her being here with him now, knowing how he felt about her and him knowing she felt the same way was more than he could bare. She was looking sexy and desirable