Free Twice Smitten (A Modern Fairy Tale) by Melissa Blue Page A

jokes.”
    “And I’m sure, go out too?”
    He measured his words. The opportunity he wanted was knocking and he refused to screw it up. “I think if we ever met up somewhere, we’d have a good time.”
    “Friendship…and that’s it?”
    Her tone made him grin. “And I won’t even ask you to sign in blood or give me your first born.”
    “Friends.” Again, she tilted her head and gazed at Drew as if seeing him for the first time. “How many other women do you have friendships with?”
    He kept the laugh in check. “Let me break out my phone and I’ll check all the female contacts. This may take awhile.”
    “Exactly what I thought.” She crossed her arms.
    Drew leaned to the side and pulled his phone out of the slack’s pocket. He placed it on the table between them to let her see for herself. Taking up the challenge, she began to scroll through and, likely, not just his contacts. He waited patiently knowing what Abigail would find and knowing that she’d still have suspicion.
    “One. Keri. I know the other name, Marilyn, is your oldest cousin. Also, you don’t delete text messages. Or media mail. Don’t you hate the ones ’if you love me you’ll send it back?’”
    Her answer surprised him, and it fed the attraction to her. Abigail didn’t always say and do exactly as he expected. She was confident and passionate. She was a lot of things and what he didn’t know, he wanted to uncover. The only way to get her to put down her guard was to offer friendship.
    “You say I don’t know you,” he said. “Let me get to know you and you can do the same. I think we could get along pretty well.”
    “Just friends?” She paused and then added, “No funny business?”
    He glanced at her, attempting to appear full of innocence. “Are you asking me if I will keep your virtue intact?”
    She narrowed her gaze. “I’m saying if, a big one, we do go out as friends, you won’t try to …” She rolled her hands in the air, likely, to indicate funny business.
    The smile was slow coming, but it spread across his face. “I must write this down. Abigail Johnson is at a loss for words.”
    “Not a loss,” she said slowly. “Confused about where this came from. I can get why you flirt. You’re good at it and you do it shamelessly. This is a different speed.”
    “Flirting is a form of flattery. It’s harmless if done right. I flirted with you and your friends at the wedding and the reception.” He shrugged, unapologetic. “But, I take who I befriend seriously. You won’t lie to me about the important stuff and maybe if we knew each other better, you wouldn’t feel the need to lie about the little things either.”
    She shifted in the chair. “Calling me a liar isn’t the way to go.”
    Drew edged closer when he said, “Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t hold me, just a little bit, accountable for the break between you and Greg.”
    “I don’t,” she said, but didn’t look at him. “Anyway, I’ll think about your offer.”
    “Lunch?” He counter-offered to keep Abigail on her toes.
    She laughed. “I said time to think. That was seconds.”
    “Time is relative. Shouldn’t be hard to decide whether or not you want to go to lunch with me. If after that you don’t want friendship, fine. We’ll work together and that’s it.”
    A long moment passed as she bit her lip and looked at him with a narrowed gaze, but she finally agreed. It took everything in him to fight back the grin.

Chapter Seven
    They stepped out the office building to a cool, early autumn breeze. The air felt good against her bare arms. The sleeveless, green-silk blouse crossed the line for work, but while in the office the jacket covered it. Now, lunch—and so not a first date—with Drew foregoing the buttoned-up appearance seemed appropriate.
    The noon hour had changed the pace of comers and goers, and people in their business wear hurried in and out of the offices lined up on both sides of the street.
    “Where