“Well, I’m not going to lead her on.She’ll only end upbeing more hurt in the end.”
“I suppose you’re right,” she agrees.“She doesn’t seem likeyour type anyway.”
“Oh?How would you know my type?”
“You seem pretty down to earth.She… she thinks who she is.”
“She thinks who she is?Are you missing a word there?Maybea few?”
“Ha-ha.It’s a Staten Island thing.”
“What does it mean?”
“It means she seems like a snob.”
“You thought we were involved.Is that what your little showwas about?”
“What little show?”
“With Charlie.”
“I happen to like Charlie.”
“Mm-hmm.”I chuckle.
“What?He’s handsome, funny, smart—”
“Yes, he’s all those things and more.”
“But?”
“But… he’s not me.”
***Casey***
That’s for sure!God knows Charlie didn’t make me feel allhot and bothered.He pulls me closer and rests his cheek on the side of myhead.I take a deep breath, inhaling his powerful scent.
“And that’s a bad thing?”I ask.
“Charlie’s my best friend.Don’t get me wrong; he’s a goodman.He’s just not the right man for you.”
“And you are?”
“Yes.”
“That’s very cocky of you.”
“You say cocky.I say confident.”
“To-may-to, to-mah-to, right?”
He halts our swaying, and impassioned chocolate eyescaptivate me, forcing me to hold his gaze.Right now, we’re the only two peoplein the world.Charlie who?
“Let’s put it this way—I’m everything that you don’t knowyou’re looking for.”
Holy shit.The look in his eyes tells me he’s not justsaying it, but he believes it.He believes he’s my Mr.Right—something I’m noteven sure I believe in.But how can he?We barely know each other.And why ishe making me want to believe it?
Jan’s voice breaks my train of thought, and I snap out of mydaze.She impatiently motions for me to come to her.I step back and look upinto the sheriff’s handsome face.
