He tipped his head as he regurgitated his thoughts, "You came to my office to warn me off about dating your cousin's friend. Warning me, a man you do not know. That takes guts and confidence. Shows loyalties and integrity are key stones in your foundations. You have friends who recognised my racing career history but they followed your lead and did not offer any preferential treatment!"
"You wanted preferential treatment?" She knew that was not true. He did not harbour conceit in his bones.
"No." He chuckled. "Just to highlight the fact they followed your lead."
"That is because my friends, like me, are fair-minded, sensible, reasonable and have common sense and manners regardless of their guests' celebrity status!"
"I know. You refuse to kow-tow to my sister's demands but you have sufficient empathy to give her a chance when her life spiralled out of control. You keep your business model simple, and standards high by valuing your staff and maintain your integrity." He rattled off what ever came to mind." You take care of your staff, beyond the necessary, because you value them and meet your ethics. You run a successful business, but have no compunction to grow. You are amazing."
She was trying desperately to hang onto her equilibrium, but his statements had floored her.
He continued. "But you give the impression of being a bit of an island when it comes to the matter of you. You relay the minimum and hide your talents. But your actions reveal your character and gifts. You are kind and gentle under that brusque exterior. And not easily influenced, but listen to others. I find that combination, intriguing." He saw she looked poleaxed.
"I think you have ..."
" I believe you are perfect for me!"
Her pulse was racing. His words were racing through her heart and head, and in essence, he was right. But she remembered his previous girlfriends, and she knew she was not his type. "I'm sure it will pass." She stated, with a feign smile.
He grimaced, "You really don't think I find you interesting."
Jena shrugged and said flippantly, "On a scale of one to ten, I'd say your interest in me would register around the three mark." But given his recent statements, that three score was way off.
"Three?" He chuckled and smiled. "You are joking, Jena!" He shook his head, "Three out of ten, are you kidding?" He'd given up trying to fathom out the way women's minds worked, but surely she would know that three was wrong.
Jena took the opportunity to point out, "The women you find interesting are nothing like me, in any way or form." And she was not sure why he was interested in her.
For a second, Caleb frowned when he saw in her eyes that she really did not believe him. His eyes lost the amusement as he considered her words seriously. "You really don't think I find you interesting." He frowned, recognising his flirting-technique was ignored by her. "When you told me to leave Melanie alone, I thought you were jealous. But there was something special about your. You enthralled me with little effort. Fearless and self-effacing. Courageous, daring and at the same time sweet and kind of shy." He stated emphatically, knowing instinctively that this was an important point to make. "But I knew, from the start, you are unique."
"That is why you were laughing at me? You find me funny, or just free entertainment, nothing more."
"That is not accurate." It suddenly dawned on him that Jena simply did not see herself as someone who would catch his eye. "I am interested in you because ...."
She interrupted, "You were not interested in me. At all! You were just worried that I would ruin your dates with Melanie." Jena shrugged her shoulders. Of course it occurred to her that he could be interested, but that thought was doused with a reality check, he was highly unlikely to be interested in her. What did she have to offer a man of his ilk? He dated women who were beautiful, sophisticated, worldly. Which is why she'd found his pursuit of Melanie odd, until he'd said he was looking for a wife. "At the moment, I am just a fad in your world."
"A fad? Why?" He asked quietly.
"What why?"
"Why didn't you think my interest in you is a fad?"
Jena laughed, despite not wanting to. "Because believe it or not I'm not stupid." Jena looked away for a second then asked, "Mr Harland, how would you describe your last three girlfriends?"
"I thought we agreed you would call me Caleb."
"Fine. Caleb! How would you describe your last three girlfriends?"
"Why?" He straightened up in his chair, not happy with the way this conversation was going. He thought he had the upper hand, in this conversation that all he had to do was to let her know that he was interested in her. He would flirt. Then ask her out. And that would start their relationship.
"Just describe them." She told him as she sipped her wine. It was easy to read his irritation in his eyes, and the dissatisfaction in his tone.
He all but growled. "They were all different."
She ignored his tone. "Ok. Describe them."
"I don't see the point." He rubbed his jaw as he tried to stem his exasperation. He was not expecting to talk about his previous relationships, or his previous girlfriend, in the lead up to start a new relationship. Of course he knew, they would talk about their experiences, but surely not before a first date.
Sensing his annoyance, Jena said, "Ok, let me." She folded her arms and looked at him, "You correct me if I'm wrong."
He narrowed his gaze. But said nothing. This was not turning out the way he'd expected. His years of experience with a variety of women had not prepared him for this woman. When she had materialised at his office and issued a warning he knew she was different. He was thirty, and no one in his life managed his social and personal life, let alone warning him off. When he brought Melanie back early after their date, and stayed for coffee with Jena and her friends, he knew warning bells were ringing in his heart and head as her behaviour was dismantling his dictums. Seeing her again, dealing with his sister and the cake fiasco, the budding infatuation became full-blown desire.
Fortunately for Jena, she could not see the emotional turbulence in his mind. "I'd say what they had in common was they were all attractive."
"True. You are attractive!"
Her voice sounded almost normal, when she was actually jealous of his ex-girlfriends. "They were probably groomed to within an inch of their lives."
"So what you are saying is they are not naturally beautiful?"
"No! That is not the point! " She flung him a speaking glance "I bet they came from either moneyed or high status families! They could probably hold a conversation with an air of sophistication to suit the context."
"And you..."
Jena ignored his interruption, "and were no doubt good bed partners!"
He choked on the sip of diet coke he'd just taken.
She continued. "They and you are mirror images, apart from gender! Wise to the world, and like you, dripping charm, personality and sophistication."
"And what? You're saying you don't drip charm, personality and sophistication?"
Jena flashed a fake smile. "I don't fit into any of your predicted views of me, so you are currently perplexed. It will pass. I'll bore you soon enough."
"Want to put it to the test?" He growled lightly.
"Test? What does that mean?"
"Come out on a date with me." He challenged. Time to resurrect his plans. Obviously a long route to asking her out! But at least they had reached that point.
Her eyes danced with feign mirth. "I don't think so."
Silently he swore profusely, then murmured. "Scared."
Tipped her head up and looked him in the eyes. "Definitely." She squared her shoulders, " Any other emotional buttons you want to try pushing?" She asked flatly.
This time Caleb laughed. "See, that's why you have to come out on a date with me!"
She grinned impishly. "Thank you, but no."