Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri (the beginning after the end novel read .TXT) 📗

next. “I might or might not have felt slightly uneasy when you showed up with your giant Bentley. It doesn’t matter.” I drop my gaze.

Nathan clears his throat. “Okay, let’s forget why you did what you did, okay? Just know, it hurt my feelings a bit.”

My eyes dart to him. “Are you serious?”

I’d assumed that he has already forgotten all about my existence like I have about his… Or at least tried to forget, but haven’t quite succeeded just yet.

Nathan pulls his face into an earnest frown. “Yeah, I am. But, since I also stepped on your toes with my invitation in the bar…let’s say we’re fifty-fifty now.” He tugs at the neck of his blue shirt—a color which brings out a trace of irresistible teal in his grey eyes.

I once took an art class where the teacher said that this rare shade is called marengo. I liked the sound of it back then, but seeing it now in real life…oh, boy…

I shift my weight to ease the pressure on my knees. “Yeah, fifty-fifty. I like that. That’s…uhm…it’s a good way to look at it.”

His face illuminates at my moderately kind words, and it’s so sexy on him, I’m almost sorry I didn’t say something more appreciative.

“I’m glad to hear this.” He punctuates his phrase with a little nod that’s filled with enough manly confidence to halt my breathing. “Since we’re even, how about grabbing a coffee together? Get to know each other a bit? I promise there’s more to me than my wealth. Since that aspect obviously puts you at unease.”

Jeez, what am I supposed to say?

The polite pause after Nathan’s question is quickly stretching into a weird silence.

Say, yes. Agreeing to chat won’t do any harm. Also, you’re intrigued by him, Eva. So why not get to know him a little more?

The part of me that refused to let go of Nathan’s memory these past two days is the first one to advise me. But my cautious self isn’t sleeping either.

Every big mistake starts with some innocent thing. Even something as simple as a coffee. No, no. It’s better to keep your distance. Especially because your cells do this funny dance when he’s close.

I can’t decide which of the voices I should listen to. I haven’t had such contradicting wishes about anyone lately. Or possibly ever. Before Fernando, I didn’t date. And after him? Only guys I knew I didn’t like. Safety has been my top priority. Therefore the naughty voice of temptation is a newcomer in my head, and weirdly enough, it’s pushing its way into my heart.

After some contemplation, I choose to follow my judicious side. I’m not ready to take risks. “Nathan, it’s sweet of you to be so persistent, it really is, but I—”

Before I can continue, Cathy trudges out carrying a bunch of cut flower stems and leaves in her hands and a broom pressed under her armpit. She yells over to Nathan, “I see you’ve found Eva. Why don’t you give her a hand with those begonias? She’d surely appreciate it.”

Nathan’s brows arch.

What the heck is Cathy doing?

As if my friend has decided to dig the hole in which to bury me deeper, she adds, “Eva came without a car today. Be a gentleman, Nathan, and give her a lift home, will you?”

A grin spreads on Nathan’s face as if Cathy has just asked him to accept the Nobel Prize. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

Cathy bumps the stems into a compost bin and drops her broom onto the ground. “Great. I’ll be back in a sec to help you pack them up.”

As she disappears, Nathan pivots to me. “You don’t mind, do you?”

I’m chewing on my lip, trying to wrap my head around what Cathy has done. And the fact that she and Nathan are on a first-name basis.

“Eva?” Nathan touches my arm when I don’t answer.

I flinch. “Oh, I…”

What should I say? I can’t lie about having my car parked nearby. Cathy already destroyed that excuse.

Nathan lowers his chin to capture my gaze. “What’s the matter, Eva? Did I overstep your line of courtesy once more by offering you and your plants a ride home?” His voice is concerned, but his lips are still stretched in a friendly smile.

It’s hard to resist the way his lips curl up.

I take a small step backward and press my hands to my legs. “It’s not that, Nathan. It’s nice of you to offer to help me. But I don’t understand why you want to do it?”

Indeed, I don’t get what Nathan’s deal is. Why all this effort? He can’t be that desperate. With his looks, his money, and his charisma, he could certainly woo anyone. Why does he want to please me?

A confused grimace settles on his face. “Why do I want to do what? Take you home when you are obviously in need of a hand?”

Putting it like this, my reluctance does seem illogical. Even discourteous.

Ah, it was so simple to know what to think of Nathan in the bar when he strode off to a table before I’d even agreed to it. Or when he’d bragged about owning a private jet that could take us to the ocean.

But now? With that boyishly startled look on his face, I have a much harder time knowing how to react to him.

I shake my head. “No. I mean, yes. It’s just weird. You’re behaving differently than I expected, and it’s disconcerting. You shouldn’t even be here now.”

Nathan’s eyes widen as if he doesn’t see my point.

“Look…” I decide to explain myself better. “Your proposal in the bar was…how should I put it…it was arrogant. And—”

Nathan holds up his palms in protest. “I already apologized for that.”

“Yes, you did. After you dug up my address and came to see me at my house. With a pair of diamonds, no less. Then you invited me to tag along while you returned the said earrings, which I refused. But here you are again, at Cathy’s, offering to bring my