Temporary (Indelibly Marked #2) by Kim Carmichael

her hand over his and used the tone that
told him the guidance was heading toward him, full steam ahead.
    He lifted his eyebrows waiting for the revelation.
    “The older you get, the less it matters.” The baby kicked as
if to punctuate her statement.
    Ivan gave her stomach a thumbs up.
    “I don’t think you’re afraid of breaking up with her. I
think you’re afraid of what happens if you don’t.”
    His heart seized and he shot up. “I think I should go see
what the guys are doing in the garage.” He gave her belly a gentle pat and made
a break for the door.
     
    ~~*~~
     
    “Are you having a good time Miss Elliott?” From across the
small table, James nodded, his slicked back neat hair, a far cry from Ivan’s
long locks.
    Under the table, Emily squeezed her hand into a fist. She
should have gone out with Ivan, or been alone. Every thought was focused on the
man who never took her on a real date, but owned a piece of her she wanted
back. “I am.” She would have to be insane not to have a good time. Yet, her mind
wandered at every turn.
    James had done everything humanly and superhumanly possibly
to ensure their time together would forever go down in the dating hall of fame.
Everything, from arriving three minutes early, to giving her a bouquet of
daisies in a cut crystal vase, to manners that rivaled any old-English
gentleman, would get most women to swoon and call for smelling salts.
    Damn, she wanted to feel faint.
    She glanced around the posh West Hollywood restaurant, the
kind paparazzi hung out in front of, praying to spot a celebrity. The
restaurant was built to highlight the beauty and hide the flaws with its black
and white ultra-modern décor and multi-colored lights. One could get lost or
stand out, and it all depended on your clout and companions. In truth, he chose
the venue perfectly, one of the few places where those in suits and those with
an edge converged.
    “Excellent, I wouldn’t want to think my charms only went as
far as my amazing stationery.” He flashed her a smile fit to make any mother’s
heart melt.
    “You have other attributes.” She let out a laugh, not
meaning her words to come out as flirty as they sounded. Maybe it was a sign of
hope. Once she stopped thinking about Ivan she could let someone else in. Of
course, acknowledging she wasn’t thinking about Ivan only meant she thought
about Ivan.
    “As do you, besides your obvious artistic abilities, your
kiss earlier was quite incredible.” Without touching his elbows to the table,
he leaned forward and his gaze traveled over her.
    For the first time since the date started, a bit of welcomed
warmth crept into her cheeks. “I’m sorry if I shocked you.”
    “Some shocks are better than others.” James winked. “I think
I neglected to tell you how beautiful you look tonight.”
    Up until that moment, the twinge had been lacking. They’d
filled the evening with a lot of the chitchat that occupied a first date. Talk
about his law firm and the tattoo shop, and what she did on her off hours took
center stage. Maybe she forgot about some of the parts of dating, because she
honestly couldn’t remember the last date she went on with someone she didn’t
know, and she had never truly dated Ivan. At last she admitted the truth and
hit her in the center of her chest. He was right; they couldn’t break up
because they weren’t together.
    Once more she forced herself to focus on James. “So do you.”
Dressed in a dark grey double breasted suit, white shirt and royal blue tie, he
looked like…well, an attorney, a professional, a man who took things seriously.
James personified a good, well-bred man, a man who could stand in front of a
judge and then go for an afternoon tea, or golfing, or own the golf course.
    “You’re going to make me blush.” He tilted his head. “Would
like anything else? An after dinner drink?”
    At least three people from the wait staff stepped forward as
if expecting a command. All night she watched