course in the twenty-first century. Something she knew firsthand.
Unless she was reading him wrong, he waited until she ran out of cause to continue.
The look on his face made her toes curl. It was impossible not to return his disarming smile.
No. Check that. It wasn’t a smile. The man was grinning, although she was sure he made an effort to keep it just this side of arrogantly cocky.
Yeah, she thought with a blush as she looked away. His ability to see into her thoughts was going to be a challenge for her.
“I’m falling in love with you.” Though the grin remained, his voice was sober and his words direct.
She wasn’t sure what to say or do. His direct approach pulled the rug out from under her. This situation was new to her. She didn’t have any experience in knowing how to react.
“Summer?” he asked in a quiet voice. “Anything you’d care to add?”
Her eyes snapped to his. “I’m calculating the distance between falling and fallen.”
Watching him pick her words apart, searching for her meaning was weirdly satisfying. If he didn’t care about her, he wouldn’t have bothered.
He grew in stature before her eyes, and in a supremely confident voice, he stated, “Whatever the final calculation turns out to be, just know I’ll catch you.”
He wasn’t the only one who knew how to be direct.
“What are we doing?”
The entire time they’d been talking, he remained standing. She hoped it wasn’t a power play because he already held the physical high ground. Relief surged inside her when he finally relaxed.
“Permission to stand down,” he drawled.
Her dad would have loved this guy.
Gesturing with a queenly flourish, she motioned to the chair opposite and said, “Permission granted.”
The minute his tight ass hit the cushion, he started talking. “What are we doing? Well, as I’ve already stated, at least one of us is falling in love.”
“Oh, snap.” She giggled.
He arched a brow but didn’t budge. He expected her to respond in kind.
Well, she sure hoped he was ready for a full declaration.
“Since you’re not going to let this go without a deposition, you had me from the get-go after buying out the whole munchies menu at Starbucks. The whipped cream and animal crackers sealed the deal.”
“Food, of course.” He snorted. “Not my good looks or sparkling wit.”
“Your head is big enough, Mr. Magnum.” She chortled. The hair toss was spontaneous, but the gleam in Arnie’s eyes told her he enjoyed the flirty move.
“Uh, which big head?” he asked with cheeky impudence. Pointing at his face, he kept an innocent expression for a few beats, and asked, “This one?” He then winked and pointed at his lap. “Or that one?”
Her eyes couldn’t take anymore. He was so devastatingly handsome. It was too much. She looked away to stare at the fireplace even though his energy was everywhere.
She hated feeling unsure or weak. Ordinarily, she’d bluster through as a way of managing her anxiety, but something about Arnie made her take chances. Chances that terrified her.
“It’s okay to leave your comfort zone, Summer. I’m right here. With you.”
“Get out of my head.” She didn’t know how else to put it.
“I’m not trying, I swear.”
The intensity in Arnie’s gaze gave away what he was thinking. He might not be trying to read her thoughts, but he still had a front row seat. Instead of focusing on how easily he saw through her, he went with what he found out.
He sat back and studied her. “Your father was a protector. It’s how he made up for what he didn’t know about nurturing.”
His words jolted her because they were ripped straight from her soul. She stared into his eyes as he undid the laces to her heart.
“You resist attempts by others to look out for you. Except for your brother. That you allow but only on your terms. Your mother’s betrayal makes you vulnerable. And stronger than you realize,” he murmured at the end.
The comfort in his gaze felt like a warm hug. As a motherless child himself, he knew all about how deep that particular wound could go.
“How do you know all this?” She needed to understand what was happening.
“You’re telling me. You want me to know. Everything.”
She got up and quickly sought a spot on his lap. The way he folded her in his arms made her wonder if he’d been waiting.
“Shit happens, baby. That’s actually what it says in the dictionary when you look up the word, life. Shit happens. Protective instincts and good intentions aren’t enough.