Free Waiting For Rachel: A Christian Romance (Those Karlsson Boys) by Kimberly Rae Jordan Page B

for me?” a familiar deep voice asked.
    Rachel’s hand jerked, spilling a couple drops of coffee on the pristine tablecloth. Heart pounding, Rachel hesitated just briefly before she set the carafe down. Then she looked up and met Damian’s warm gaze.

Chapter Six
     
    Damian grinned when he saw Rachel’s nervousness. Not because he liked to make her nervous, but because it was good to see she wasn’t as immune to him as she would have liked him to believe.
    “How’s it going?” He took the cup she offered and poured a little cream into it.
    “Pretty good. Although there’s going to be a lot of people up late tonight since most of them wanted the caffeinated coffee.”
    “Is that what you gave me?”
    Rachel ’s cheeks turned pink. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think to ask.”
    “First I’m up all night thinking about you, and now you’ve made sure that when I finally try to fall asleep, I won’t be able to.”
    If it was possible, Rachel’s blush deepened. “Damian, don’t say things like that.” She glanced around them. “I don’t want people getting the wrong idea.”
    “I think you’re the only one around here with the wrong idea. Everyone else thinks you should snap me up, eligible bachelor that I am.” He twirled some greenery between his fingers, greenery that looked suspiciously like mistletoe.
    “Everyone?” Rachel forced herself to look away from the mistletoe and meet Damian’s gaze. “I highly doubt that. Annie strikes me as someone who would prefer we never go out.”
    Damian frowned. “I guess you’re right there. I’ve been as honest as I can with her, but she still doesn’t seem to get the point.”
    “You should take her out on a date. Maybe you’d be surprised.”
    Unsure whether Rachel was serious or not, Damian frowned again. “I’m only interested in dating one person, Rachel. You’re as bad at getting the message as Annie.”
    Rachel’s expression darkened. “And how have you taken my message? I’ve told you there’s going to be no date. I’ve told you that for months, but you keep coming back over and over again. I think this is very much a case of the pot calling the kettle black.”
    Damian didn’t care much for the logic of Rachel’s comment. He knew she was right. “So, how did you like the program tonight?”
    “You,” Rachel pointed a finger at him, “are changing the subject.”
    “Yes, I am,” Damian freely admitted. “I want to continue enjoying this evening, and if we keep up the other line of conversation it’s not going to be pleasant for either of us.”
    “I didn’t bring it up,” Rachel reminded him, pausing to pour a cup of coffee for an elderly gentleman. “But every conversation we have seems to end up on this subject.”
    Again Rachel was right. “Okay, let’s call a truce. After all, it is the season for peace, right?”
    Rachel nodded, but still looked wary.
    “Here’s the deal. I won’t ask for any more dates. I won’t pester you to change your mind.”
    “Forever?”
    “Not forever,” Damian said, grinning at the hopeful tone in her voice. “Until after Christmas.”
    “How about after the New Year?” Rachel asked.
    “Nope. You have a reprieve until after Christmas but on December twenty-six, expect to be asked once again.”
    “You’re nuts,” Rachel said. “You know that, right?”
    “About you? Of course.”
    “No more flirting. That has to be part of the truce too.”
    “Flirting?” Damian shook his head. “I don’t flirt.”
    “Sure you do. You just did.”
    Damian paused. He never really looked on his banter with Rachel as flirting, but he supposed it was. His comments were inevitably made to draw a smile out of her. Usually it worked. “So I suppose I can’t tell you how nice you look tonight.”
    There came the smile, teasing the corners of her mouth before her lips curved into the full-fledged smile Damian loved. The one that reached right to her eyes.
    “No, you can’t tell me that, but