Read Convince Me (Holton Series #1) for Free Online

was struggling to control her response also.
    “Now tell me that there is nothing
between us,” he said softly.
    It was the wrong thing to say for
Anna immediately stiffened and jerked herself out of his arms.  He
watched, confused, as she walked to the door.
    “Thanks for lunch,” she said in a
stilted voice as she opened the door.  “It was very nice.”
    Steven stared at her, unable to
believe the change in her.  One minute she was warm and soft in his arms
and the next she was polite and distant.  He gathered his things and for
the second time that day he walked out her door.  He turned back and
reached out an arm to stop her from slamming it in his face.
    “I don’t know what just happened
here but it makes no difference.  There is something special between us
and now we both know it.”
    On that parting note, Steven turned
and walked back down the street.  How he was going to make it through the
rest of the afternoon he didn’t know but he had learned one important
thing.  Anna was as attracted to him as he was to her.  It gave him
hope.

Chapter 3
    The rest of the week went by
slowly.  Anna tried to hang on to her anger but Steven made it very
difficult.  He stopped by to see her almost every day.  She knew she
was only angry because Steven had been right.  There was something between
them but Anna refused to acknowledge it because it frightened her.  She
was falling for Steven and she couldn’t let that happen.  She would never
be like her mother, so in love with a man that she lost all sense of self-worth. 
Anna wouldn’t let that happen.
    Her anger soon faded because Steven
was at his most charming.  It was hard to stay angry with him when she
knew she was really angry with herself.  She usually managed to remain
detached but twice he broke through her carefully erected barriers.
    The first time was the day after
their luncheon.  Julie had stopped by for a coffee break again and once
more Steven had come looking for her.  Anna wasn’t sure he had a
legitimate reason but she did know that he did not have to come personally.
    After Julie left, she told him, “I
do have a telephone.  There is no need for you to walk down here. 
Just call next time and I’ll send Julie right back.”
    Steven grinned.  “But then, I
wouldn’t get to see you.”
    “That’s the whole point,” Anna
snapped.  “I don’t want to see you.”
    His grin faded and Steven looked at
her with his beautiful blue eyes serious and thoughtful.  Anna felt her
heart begin to pound and her palms became damp.  Steven continued to watch
her and Anna had to resist the urge to turn and flee.  Instead, she
returned his gaze steadily.
    “That’s not what your kiss told
me,” he said softly.
    Anna turned away from him then. 
She knew she had no response to that statement.  The memory of their kiss
had haunted her all night and Anna knew she had been a willing participant,
which was why she wanted to avoid Steven now. 
    She turned back and saw him
standing by the door completely still waiting for her.  He was waiting for
something – something from her.  She suddenly remembered what he had
said about telling him to walk away and she knew if she asked him now he would
do so.  Anna took a deep breath, ready to tell him to leave but then she
looked at him again.  She really looked at him this time.  He was
tense as if waiting for her to strike out at him.  For the first time, she
realized he was scared too.  She couldn’t do it.  She couldn’t send
him away.  She just wasn’t ready to lose him forever.  Instead, she
tried to explain.
    “I don’t need this kind of pressure
right now.  I have too much to do setting up this office and getting
settled in a new town.  I need to spend some time alone.  I need time
to think, to get comfortable with where I am and where I am going.”
    “Alright, I can understand that,”
Steven said, “but there is no reason why we can’t be friends.  We can put
this