Millionaires' Destinies(119)

She looked Mack directly in the eye. “Okay, here’s what I’m hearing. You want Destiny to decide I’m wrong for you, so you can give yourself permission to stop seeing me,” she said.

“You’re crazy,” he said just a little too quickly and vehemently.

“Am I?” she asked doubtfully. “Mack, if you’re scared, I understand. If you want to call it quits, the way you’re used to doing about now in a relationship, I understand that, too. Nobody’s forcing you to be with me, certainly not me. I’m not exactly deliriously jumping up and down with joy at what’s going on between us, either.”

Mack frowned at that. “I’m not looking for an easy out,” he claimed again.

“Aren’t you? There’s an attraction going on here, but attractions come and go. They’re not necessarily permanent. Instead of getting all panicky about the future, we both need to go with the flow or just get out now before things get complicated. I’m not going to freak out on you. I have enough self-confidence to weather your rejection. Heck, I won’t even lump myself in with all those other women you dumped when you got scared.”

She was about to go on, doing her best to let him off the hook and avoid the impending disaster, when he leaned down and covered her mouth with his own. Her words immediately died in her throat, and every sensible thought flew from her head.

When he finally pulled away, she stared at him through dazed eyes. “What was that for?”

“It was the only way I could think of to shut you up. You were thinking too much. Stop trying to guess what I’m feeling. If I don’t know, you can’t possibly know. We’re still at the early stages of this thing.”

Beth couldn’t seem to drag herself back from the impact of that kiss to absorb what he was saying. Instead, she told him stiffly, “Kissing me outside of my patient’s room where anyone could be passing by is inappropriate.”

“Sorry.”

She studied his expression for so much as a hint of sincere regret, but there was nothing. If anything, he looked a little smug at having rattled her.

His attitude, the conversation, the whole stupid dinner—it was all too much. She whirled around. “I have to go,” she said, already striding away.

“Pick you up at six-thirty,” he called after her.

“No.”

“Be ready.”

“I am not going to dinner.”

“Sure you are.”

She turned around and marched right back until she was in his face. If necessary, she would shout and make a total scene until he got the message.

“I am not going to dinner at your aunt’s,” she announced very firmly.

He studied her intently, then nodded. “Okay.”

She faltered at his acquiescence. For some reason that irked her even more than his assumption that she would fall in with his plans. “Maybe I will go, after all.”

“Okay.” He looked as if he was struggling to bite back a grin.

“But I’ll meet you there.”

He frowned, but nodded. “Okay. I’ll give you the address.”

“No need,” she said blithely, beaming at him. “I’ve been there.”

He stared at her as if she’d announced a familiarity with the direct route to Mars. “When in the hell did you visit my aunt?”

“Weeks ago,” she said.

“Before she sent me over here to meet Tony?” he asked suspiciously.

“No, after. Well, later that same day, to be precise. Your aunt has impeccable timing. She called me minutes after you left.”

“She never said anything,” he said, half to himself. He stared at Beth. “Neither did you.”

“I’m sure your aunt doesn’t run all of her social engagements past you,” Beth told him. “And just so you know, I have no intention of doing that, either.”

He shook his head. “Good to know.”

“See you at seven,” Beth told him. “Maybe I’ll call Destiny and see if she’d mind if I bring a date.”

“You do and he’s a dead man,” Mack said grimly.

Beth laughed. Once again she had made Mighty Mack Carlton jealous. Damn, but that felt good. She glanced at his fierce expression and concluded it might be wise not to test him too often, though.

She reached up and patted his cheek. “Okay then, it’s just you and me, pal.”

“I am not your pal. You can get over that idea right now.”

“Oh? Then how would you describe yourself?”

“I’m the man you’re currently driving stark raving mad,” he said. Suddenly a grin spread across his face. “Of course, if you play your cards right over dinner, I can be driving you a little crazy by ten.”