“You look just a little unhappy.” Patrick leaned ahead and tilted her chin up with a free hand in order that he may look into her eyes. “Do you miss Leo?”

Emma struggled to kind phrases in reply. All she may consider was the sensation of Patrick’s heat hand on her chin and the sight of these stunning blue eyes, now darkened into their stormier shade, her.

“Um, no.”

“Good. I used to be going to supply to purchase you one other one.”

Emma virtually couldn’t inform if Patrick was joking. Then he grinned and took his hand away, and he or she laughed.

“What a form provide. I believe I’ll accept extra pizza, although.”

The remainder of the dinner handed in nice dialog. Emma saved to surface-level subjects, as at all times, however at the moment she discovered herself wishing that she may inform Patrick one thing actual. Every of his tales about his childhood, his school days, or his time constructing LWC was fascinating, and he or she wished she may reciprocate with one thing from her personal life. Despite the fact that her life felt extremely uninteresting in comparison with his.

Once they couldn’t eat any extra pizza, Patrick took the bins to the kitchen, waving off Emma’s provide of assist. When he returned, he requested to remain on the desk for one more second, then disappeared into one other room.

Perhaps this was Emma’s likelihood. For a second, she thought-about making an attempt to tug off the portray change now, however there was no telling how lengthy Patrick can be gone and it will take a while to retrieve the forgery from the foyer and make the change. Greater than that, Emma didn’t wish to change the portray. As she waited, her thoughts got here up with not possible thought after thought to keep away from stealing Aurora from a person she was coming to respect and care about deeply.

“Okay, you may come out now,” Patrick known as from behind the door. Emma acquired up and crossed the room to the door. When she opened it, she was shocked to see that it wasn’t one other room in any respect, however a balcony with a spectacular view of town. Patrick has began a fireplace in a small brazier within the heart of the balcony. Two white chairs stood on one aspect, whereas a loveseat stood reverse. There have been thick, fluffy blankets on every seat.

The clear night time sky above, studded with a thousand shining stars, added to the romantic ambiance. Emma virtually couldn’t imagine her eyes.

“That is stunning,” she breathed. “I don’t know the way you are available to work in any respect with a home like this.”

Patrick chuckled however didn’t reply. Emma glanced again at him and seen that he was standing by the door. He appeared to be giving her the area to decide on a person chair or a loveseat.

Out of the blue, the easy choice took on weight. If Emma sat in a chair, the night time would keep nice however pleasant. If she sat on the loveseat, it will veer in the direction of romance.

Emma knew she ought to sit on the chair. She already felt terribly conflicted about stealing the portray, and if she and Patrick turned romantically concerned any greater than they already have been, it will solely turn out to be harder. It was the identical logic that had led her to flee Patrick’s kiss on the gallery.

Emma steeled herself and made her method to one of many chairs.

CHAPTER 12

PATRICK

Patrick stood by the door and waited patiently for Emma to decide on the place to sit down. He saved his face a peaceful, nice masks, however inside his ideas have been racing. This night had already felt virtually magical, although they’d achieved nothing greater than take a look at artwork and eat pizza. It was hardly the peak of romance, but it surely nonetheless felt prefer it.

Now, he wished nothing greater than to take Emma in his arms. He wished to hearken to her discuss in that candy, light voice. He wished her to inform him all about her historical past, although she appeared to keep away from sharing private particulars. He wished to run a hand by means of her luscious curls and plant kisses on these beautiful lips, alongside her mushy pink cheeks, down the curve of her neck…

Patrick didn’t know if Emma wished that, too. As a lot as she leaned towards him, as a lot as she blushed when he complimented her, although she’d kissed his cheek after the gallery go to, she nonetheless appeared to be holding one thing again. She dodged his private questions and hadn’t initiated any sort of bodily closeness.

So, Patrick had made a plan. He supplied her a alternative: sitting alone on a chair or with him on a loveseat. If she selected the loveseat, it will be a clue that she wished to be near him, too.

Now, after a second’s hesitation, Emma circled the hearth towards one of many chairs. Patrick felt his coronary heart sink. This might be a pleasing night, even when nothing occurred between them, however as soon as once more he frightened that he was imagining the spark he felt between them. Maybe Emma simply considered him as her colleague, even her boss, regardless of every part.

After which Emma continued, previous the chairs and across the hearth to the loveseat. She sat and tucked her legs beneath her, then raised her gaze to Patrick’s. There was a sort of daring in these large brown eyes, even a problem.

“Care to affix me?”

Patrick very a lot did. He crossed to her and sat beside her, then pulled a blanket over each of their laps.

“There’s nothing like a heat hearth in winter,” Emma mused.

“Undoubtedly.”

“As soon as, once I was a youngster, I went to a bonfire celebration. All the opposite teenagers have been consuming and flirting and making out, however I simply wished to sit down by the hearth and watch it flicker.”

Patrick seized on the glimpse of Emma’s previous prefer it was a valuable diamond.

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