Gideon Wanted Me, Not You

‘You!’ Liam thought, though he didn’t say it out loud. The girl was like a rabbit who ducked into its burrow at the first sign of danger. He had just drawn her out and didn’t want to scare her away by being too forward. ‘I’ll think about it,’ he said instead. ‘When I have an idea, I’ll let you know. How about that?’ ‘Okay, sure.’ Kira could only agree. *** During the rest of the dinner, Liam behaved like a perfect gentleman. He could charm the pants off anyone if he wanted, and Kira presented a fascinating challenge. When he sensed she shied away from any personal topics, he changed tack and regaled her with stories of his culinary adventures. Food was always a safe topic, and Kira was a good listener. She didn’t exactly hang on his every word, but always gave indications that she was paying attention. Her jaw dropped when he told her about eating fried tarantulas. ‘You’re just pulling my leg,’ she said. Liam threw his head back and laughed. ‘You got me.’ Liam shrugged. For a while, Li