Illusions: A prequel novella to Mirage Read Online Free PDF

you.” I answer sarcastically.
    “Don’t do that. I hate when people throw age around like it’s anything more than a number. It really doesn’t matter.”
    “I’m thirty-seven,” I tell him, suddenly feeling very over the hill. I smirk, trying to bring humor to his perception of me. Mostly, he’s right, but confidence isn’t something that I was born with. I had to work for that. “Do you live around here?” I ask, never giving him an opportunity to answer my original question. Some things are better left unsaid.
    “Not far. I have a place a few blocks away. How ‘bout you? Did I drag you out too far?”
    “No, I actually walked here.”
    “Have you always lived in New York?”
    “I was born and raised in New Jersey. I moved here for college and never left. I love the city. I don’t know if I could ever live anywhere else. What about you?”
    “I was born and raised in Michigan, but I moved here for college and stayed.”
    “That’s a big move.”
    “Yeah, I didn’t think I’d like city life as much as I do, but now that I’m here, I consider it home.”
    “It’s an easy city to love.”
    He takes a sip of his coffee and nods. “So, tell me more about yourself. What do you do for work?”
    There’s the million-dollar question. Mentally, I prepare the frequently used response that I give to everyone who asks about my livelihood. I’ve gotten very good at this, and figuratively speaking, it’s almost true.
    “I own a day spa and employ masseuses who specialize in holistic health home visits to mostly elderly or sick clients.”
    “Interesting. How did you get into that?”
    “Who doesn’t like a good spa, right? I wanted to do it better, bigger, and tap into a niche that really hadn’t been explored.”
    “And it’s been successful?”
    “Very.”
    “That’s great. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. I’m impressed, Miss Powell.”
    “Thanks.”
    “So, what are you up to after this?”
    “Things…”
    “Things? How about something with me?”
    “Like what?”
    “The sky’s the limit.”
    “As appealing as that sounds, I have to decline. I really should get going.”
    “So soon?” He eyes me expectantly, maybe hoping that I’d change my mind and spend more time with him. But the more time I spend with him, the more I want to know, and he’s a complication that I don’t need, not ever. I think about my last attempt at a relationship with Collin and about how miserably that ended. I don’t want to go through that again.
    “Yes, thank you so much for the coffee and the invitation. It was nice.”
    “I’m always nice. Can I at least get you to agree to dinner? How about tomorrow night?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “You know, you’re really starting to give me a complex.”
    “I just… it’s not you, Nathan, it’s…”
    “Please don’t give me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ line. Please,” he says with a chuckle.
    The damn smile I keep fighting creeps up onto my lips again. “It’s not a line, it’s actually true. I’m a very busy person, you know. I don’t have a ton of time for dating.”
    “It’s a good thing I’m not asking for a ton of time then. An occasional meal here or there wouldn’t kill you. In fact, it would probably do you some good.”
    This guy just doesn’t give up, but who am I kidding? I’m not so sure I want him to.
    “Can I at least think about it?”
    “Sure. I’ll walk you out.”
    He comes around and pulls out my chair for me. Taking hold of my free hand, he helps me to my feet and leads me out of the coffee shop. My hand in his feels good—
    shit, I’m asking for serious trouble with this guy. He’s smooth, sexy, smart, confident, and worst of all, he doesn’t take no for an answer.
    “Thanks for the coffee.”
    “Anytime. I’ll call you.” I barely have time to react to his lips on my cheek, but if him holding my hand excited me, his lips on my body are on a whole other level. Seriously in trouble , I think