Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,38

rest of her cousins clamoring to help her lift her feet, lower her head, or vice versa.

She wasn't bleeding anywhere and even the pain in her toes had begun to fade. Laila finally waved away all the helping hands, saying she was fine. She was fine. The game was over, though, the fun mood spoiled, and she did regret she'd been the cause of that.

"I'm fine, really!" she said for what felt like the hundredth time. At last she convinced the crowd to disperse, which they did reluctantly.

"Bubbeleh, come with us to the movie lounge," Bubbe urged. "We're going to watch that little cutie Keanu Reeves in that football movie."

Laila didn't have the heart to tell her bubbe that the actor's name was not pronounced “canoe.” Besides, she really didn't want to watch a movie right now. She really just wanted to go back to her room, take a long, hot bath, and curl up in bed. As gracefully as she could, she declined Bubbe's offer, then looked around for Hal.

He was gone.

The fallen leaves crunched crisply under Hal's feet as he trudged along the path. He had no scarf or gloves, but he had his humiliation to keep him warm. He passed the fork in the path that would take him back to Bramblewood's main building and kept going. He needed to think.

Since Cassie ran off with his ex-partner John, Hal's only brush with real romance had been with the client who'd bought him the book of love poems. Other than that, the dates he'd had were work, not pleasure. Until meeting Laila, none of the LoveMatch women had been anything more than a way to pay the bills.

She's just a client, he told himself fiercely. This is just a job. She wanted him to be a jerk, so he had been. But he hadn't meant to knock her down, not during the game or any of the times his clumsiness had gotten the best of him.

And why had she been so upset when he hadn't tried to seduce her? It was strict LoveMatch policy that no escort was to make a sexual advance unless the client clearly stated that was what she wanted. No escort was required to provide sexual services, either, unless he wanted to.

He thought guiltily of the kiss he'd given her after the carriage ride. It was certainly a mistake. He'd allowed himself to forget he was working. He'd let himself believe what he was pretending to have with Laila was the real thing. But it wasn't the real thing, Hal thought, with a kick to a pile of leaves that connected with a hidden tree root and started him hopping in pain.

Hal limped down the path. If he'd met Laila someplace else, some other way? But who was he kidding? He had nothing to offer any woman, much less one like Laila. He had no real job, no car; he lived in a one-bedroom apartment with shabby furniture and not much more than mold and water in the refrigerator.

Once he'd owned his own business, had a nice house, and driven an expensive car. Losing Cassie, he lost all that, too. Alone, it hadn't mattered. He'd gone back to school to finally do something he thought he'd enjoy.

But now--now he looked at the bleak existence he'd been eking out for the past year, and wondered how he even dared imagine that he could start a relationship with someone he truly cared about. He could barely afford to take her to a fast food burger joint, much less a nice restaurant.

Hal finally turned back toward Bramblewood's main grounds. Night was falling fast, and he was getting cold. He'd go back and face Laila, apologize once again for being such an incredible klutz, and hope she'd forgive him. Yet again.

Fortunately, he didn't pass any of the Alster clan on the way back to the room. He didn't think he could face any of them right now. Since Laila had the only room key, he hoped she was in. He knocked.

After a few minutes, she answered. To his relief, there were no fresh bruises he could see. She must have been in the bath because she wore the room's thick, complimentary robe and had bundled her hair into a towel.

"Where have you been?" she asked, letting him in. "I've been worried."

"I went for a walk," Hal told her. He slipped off his coat and hung it up. He looked around the room, wincing. It was a mess. Half