“Yes,” he said again. “We can talk. I would love that. Can we go somewhere after work? What would be convenient for you?”
Quickly, Anya searched her mind. Somewhere nearby, somewhere quiet but a public place. She still wasn’t sure she could trust him. She had to check him out some more. “What about the Bremen Public Library? I need to go there to return some books. We could talk there.”
He raised an eyebrow, looking amused. “The library? I haven’t been inside one of those in a while but why not?
“I can meet you at the reference desk at four o’clock. The library is open until six on Fridays. More than enough time for us to talk.” As Anya spoke she was pushing her chair back, wanting to get away. He was standing there, so close, making her so aware of him she was finding it hard to think straight. Right now she needed to put some distance between them. She needed to get away, to think, to prepare herself. Later she would be ready.
Quickly, she grabbed her bag and stood up but, finding herself even closer to him, she took a quick step back. She felt the color rise in her face. There was no way he hadn’t noticed that move.
She forced a smile. “Okay, so I’ll see you at four, then. Catch you later.”
Then, before he could say a word, she turned and headed for the door. She did not pause until she was safely in the front seat of her car. There, she sagged against the steering wheel.
Goodness, she’d just done something so out of character for her. She’d just asked Rafe Kent out. Mind you, it was only to the public library but still, a date by any other name was still a date.
She only hoped she hadn’t started something she wouldn't know how to finish.
***
Anya was the easiest person to find. It wasn’t just that she was standing exactly where she’d said she would be, right in front of the library’s main reference desk. The thing was, as soon as Rafe came within five yards of her, once he was in the same room, his skin would tingle. Literally.
It was the strangest thing and if anybody had told him that could happen he would have laughed them into the ground. He would never have believed it…until it happened to him.
Over the last week and a half he’d had to be a darned good actor to hide from Anya how he really felt. Seeing her everyday, walking right by her in the staff room and the lounge, it hadn’t been easy. He’d had to act cool when all he’d wanted to do was take her some place where they could be alone and then kiss her till she promised never to run away again.
But now it looked like his efforts had been worth it. He was going to be meeting with Anya and she’d been the one to set up the rendezvous. When he’d seen her note he’d had a hard time hiding his goofy grin. Anya was coming around at last.
She must have sensed his presence because, before he even got to her, she turned and her eyes were not searching the people passing by. No, she was looking directly at him like she’d known the exact moment he entered the area. To his relief, when she saw him her face brightened. “Hi,” she said as he walked up to her. “You’re right on time. Thanks.”
His lips curled in a smile and he shrugged. “Of course. How could I keep a beautiful woman waiting?” He was amused when she looked away, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. She actually looked embarrassed. He had no doubt that many men before him had told her the same thing but her modesty made his compliment special nonetheless. Or could it be something more? Dared he think that her reaction wasn’t so much due to the words but to the fact that they’d come from him?
Wanting to lighten the moment he made a feeble attempt at a joke. “So you want us to talk and this is the place you choose? If we start talking the librarians will be shooing us out of here before we can blink.”
That made her smile. “No, they won’t. I have the perfect place. It’s my study spot in a far-off corner. No-one ever goes there.”
“And what if today’s different?” he asked, shaking his head at her confidence. “Someone could be in ‘your spot’ at this very moment.”
“Nope. I made sure that wouldn’t happen. I already marked it. My jacket, my book bag and my notebooks are spread out all over the table there.”
“Ah-ha.” Rafe nodded. “Well planned, I see.”
She smiled. “You could say that.”
Rafe followed Anya to the spot she’d designated as their meeting place. It was a cozy little area with a couple of comfortable-looking armchairs facing a low mahogany table on top of which Anya’s things were scattered. He recognized the jacket she’d worn to school earlier that day.
Immediately, she went over to what must have been her favorite chair. She sank into it with such casual familiarity that he could just imagine the number of hours she’d spent in that seat, studying or working or just relaxing with a good book.
Anya waved her hand at him. “Have a seat.”
He did as she ordered and he took up residence in the armchair facing hers then leaned back and propped his elbows on the arms. He watched her as she reached over and picked up her book bag then fidgeted with the clasp even as she avoided his eyes. He could see she was nervous. Conversation would probably put her at ease but he’d never been one for small talk and he wasn’t about to start now. Tenting his fingers, he fixed his gaze on her. “So, what are we going to talk about?”
For just a second she hesitated but then, as if gathering her courage about her, she met his gaze head on. “You.”
Surprised, Rafe raised his eyebrows. “Me?”
She nodded. “Ever since we met I’ve been trying to figure you out. Tell me, who’s the real Rafe Kent?”
"The real…?” Rafe couldn’t help laughing. “I didn’t know there was a fake one.”
She tilted her head to one side as she regarded him, a serious expression on her face. “Sometimes I wonder. First, you carry yourself like some penniless wanderer, then you tell me you’re a businessman, and now this. So what are you going to tell me this time? That you’ve always had a passion for teaching?”
He gave a guilty grin. “I can’t say it was a passion for teaching that brought me here. Passion, yes, but for something other than teaching.” His voice turned soft. “Or maybe I should say someone.”
The words made her color some more but this time she did not drop her gaze. “I know how you feel about me,” she said, her voice tense. “What I don’t get is how easily you switch from charming to belligerent and now to caring and concerned.”