have been disqualified anyway—kissing your teenage hero probably didn’t count as a ‘hot stranger’.
Back in high school she had liked Zander Grosvenor—but not because of his looks or his rebellious cool kid image or even his prowess on the sporting field. It had never occurred to her that she could have a chance with him and that had been fine with her. Admiration from afar had suited her, because perversely she’d liked him because of his evident loyalty to his girlfriend. True, Claudia had been one of the prettiest, most popular girls in school but nonetheless...he had never so much as glanced at anyone else.
And she’d admired that; the traits she still valued were loyalty and trust. So she hadn’t acknowledged that her interest in him was a crush, even though his presence had always brought on her nerves and she’d had to fight the impulse to try to ‘accidentally’ be wherever he was. The one time she had genuinely bumped into him by mistake had been so nerve-racking she’d dropped her books and actually had a conversation with him.
Enough. That was the dim and distant past and now she needed to banish Zander Grosvenor from her mind—and her lips, for that matter. At twenty-nine she was way too old to crush on anyone, let alone a man like the one Zander had become. Rich, successful...not her type at all. Time to focus on work.
Her day was divided between a reclassification project, a stint on the front desk and work on an online course she was putting together to help students access relevant information—more than enough to absorb her attention. So, apart from the occasional memory lapse to Planet Kiss, she was on her way back to ‘Gabby as normal’. Enough so that at the end of the day she was able to close down her computer and look forward to a quiet evening at home.
The actual library was still open, and as she walked through the book-lined area she exchanged pleasantries with a few of the students. She stopped at one of the tables to pick up a couple of books that had been left, turned—and her sandal-clad feet screeched to a halt. Surely it couldn’t be...? Zander Grosvenor? Her imagination must be messing with her head.
But then, there he was.
‘Hi, Gabby.’
‘Zander,’ she said, and her voice echoed as hollow as her tummy.
For an insane second Gabby considered a dive beneath the table—though what she hoped that would achieve she had no idea. She needed to remember that she was no longer a cowering three-year-old, caught up in her mother’s chaotic lifestyle, nor even a scared nine-year-old, terrified she would be taken from her grandparents. Back then, hiding had been her go-to strategy and she’d built dens wherever she could, cocooned herself away from the world.
But it really was not an option in the present situation, so she forced herself to stand tall and face him. Unfortunately, that necessitated looking at him, and her hormones did a flip before standing at attention.
Today Zander was suited and booted—the suit a faintly pinstriped charcoal grey, the shirt a pristine white. The whole ensemble epitomised wealth and success and a wow factor she really could do without. Dark blonde hair, just a little bit too long, blue-grey eyes that pierced...and suddenly the vast library seemed to shrink around her.
Eventually she located her vocal cords. ‘What a surprise. Were you looking for me?’ Please let this be some strange coincidence.
‘Yes. You mentioned you worked as a university librarian—I did a bit of research and here I am.’
It occurred to her that despite the suave suit, he was uncomfortable; something in his expression indicated that the expensive shirt felt constrictive round his throat and the square jaw held a hint of tension.
‘So, how can I help?’
‘I was wondering if...if you’d have dinner with me.’
For a moment she couldn’t hold back the instinct to smile. She felt a bubble of anticipation at the idea that their encounter had sparked this—a desire to follow up. Though something warned her that her reaction was misplaced and she dialled down the smile—an instinct justified by his next words.
‘I’ve got a business proposition I want to discuss.’
Of course. How foolish of her to think it could be anything else. She could only hope he hadn’t clocked her initial response. Especially idiotic because even if he had asked her on a date she would have refused. Zander was not her type—in so much as she had a type...which she didn’t. But in the unlikely event that she ever figured out love and relationships she’d want someone ordinary, and Zander wasn’t that. Being with Zander would be too much—too intense. He was too gorgeous, too rich, too successful...just too everything.
‘You need a librarian?’ Could he have a collection of books that needed cataloguing? It seemed unlikely.
‘Nope.’ He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘It’s complicated.’
The word should have her running for the sanctuary of her apartment. Gabby was a big fan of simplicity. Yet curiosity surfaced—what on earth could he have in mind? Hesitation stretched the silence and then she shrugged. After all, the point was that this wasn’t a date—this was business.
So... ‘OK. I’m intrigued. Dinner sounds good.’
‘Great. Are you finished or shall we meet somewhere later?’
‘I’m good to go.’
* * *
As they exited the university, Zander wondered if he had completely lost every vestige of common sense. Sitting at his desk earlier he had thought his idea made perfect sense, verging on genius. The problem was now he’d seen Gabby again he’d remembered the major flaw in the whole concept. In a nutshell—the Attraction Factor. One second in her presence was all it had taken for any ideas of business to desert him at supersonic speed. To be replaced by a near-overwhelming urge to cross the room and try for a repeat of that kiss.
But now, out in the fresh dusk-laden air, he sought perspective. Reminded himself that the attraction wasn’t a problem as long as he didn’t act on it.
‘I thought we’d eat at Lothario’s.’
One of Bath’s most prestigious restaurants, it would provide a persuasive backdrop to explain his proposition. Yet she didn’t look impressed; in fact she didn’t even look enthusiastic.
‘Unless you’d prefer somewhere else?’
‘Actually, I would rather go somewhere more low-key, if that’s OK with you.’
‘Sure.’ So much for the dazzling-her-into-acceptance plan.
‘There’s a really good pizza place not far from here. How about we go there?’
Ten minutes later they entered a small cosy Italian restaurant from which wafted out the tantalising aroma of tomato, garlic and a hint of oregano. Most of the tables were occupied with an eclectic mix of diners, and the low-lit room exuded a lively ambience without being loud. The tables were a mixture of sizes and shapes and were cheerfully hung with red tablecloths. The chefs tossed pizza bases into the air with verve and pizzazz.
A waiter stepped forward, led them to a table without fuss and left them with a smile and the menus.
Gabby gave hers a perfunctory glance and placed it on the table. ‘I already know what I’m having,’ she explained. ‘Artichokes, capers, goat’s cheese and olives. I always have that.’
‘Always?’
‘Yup. I don’t eat out often, so I like to know for sure that I’ll enjoy it.’
‘But maybe you could swap something out? Have extra mozzarella instead of capers? Ham instead of artichokes? Or why not try the special? You may find something you like better.’
Zander stopped at the sight of Gabby’s frown. For Pete’s sake. What was wrong with him? The answer was not one he liked: discomfort. This was the first time he’d gone out with a woman since Claudia’s