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At the same time, he muttered, “I should go.”
Yet, again, neither of them moved.
“My favorite flowers are roses. Red ones. I know they’re pretty generic nowadays, but they’re classic. I like them.”
His jaw flexed. “Makes sense. You’ve got a classic, timeless beauty, so those flowers are perfect for you.”
“You already know my dreams.”
He nodded slightly. “You want to leave here.”
“Yes.” She hesitated. “And my biggest fear—”
“Is falling for another guy who could hurt you like he did.”
She nodded. “So now you know all those things.”
“I guess I do.”
“What’s your dream?” she asked.
“To be a successful lawyer, and build my own home, and be a senior partner.”
She fisted her hands. “And your fears?”
“I…” He opened his mouth, closed it, and then shook his head. “I don’t really have any. If I had to name one, then I’d say failure. I fear failure.”
“I don’t think it’s possible for you to fail.”
He cocked his head. “Clearly, then, you didn’t see my painting tonight.”
She laughed then covered her mouth. “Oh, I saw it. I love it.”
“Are you sure?” He crossed the room and picked his up. “This one?”
She chuckled into her hand. His wineglass was wobbly and crooked, and she loved it. It was perfectly imperfect. “Yep. That’s the one.”
He tipped his head. He looked so handsome. His hair was slightly messed up, he had bags under his eyes that suggested he hadn’t been sleeping well, and yet he was hands down the hottest man she’d seen all day. Heck, who was she kidding? He was the hottest guy she’d ever seen. Ever. “I guess we already kind of are in a relationship, huh? Just without the sex.”
She choked on a laugh. “That’s called friendship, Eric.”
“Huh. Never really had friends before.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Is that what friends do? Talk about their feelings and shit?”
“What do you mean, you never had friends?”
“Okay, I guess that’s kind of an overstatement. In high school, I had Brett. And my brothers. So, I mean, I had them as friends.” He rubbed his jaw. “But people outside of my family that I hang out with when I’m not working? Or a buddy I call when I have a shitty day at work? Yeah. No. I don’t have those. Never really did.”
“Why not?” she asked after she processed that.
“I guess I was just too busy to think about it, or to think I was missing out on something. I still don’t think I am.” He laughed. “I don’t really need friends with three brothers, a Brett, and a sister. If I need someone to talk to, I call one of them, and we go out for dinner or something. Why do I need to let anyone else into my life, when I have everything I need already?”
Eric Hamilton was one surprise after another. A man like him, you’d think he had people lining up to be his friend. In the short time she’d spent with him, he’d proven to be a fun companion. He was kind, and funny, and sweet, and hot as hell. But, no. Turns out, he was just as lonely as she was…and they were both alone by choice.
He came closer to her, reaching out to playfully tug on a piece of her hair. “I do like hanging out with you, though, so if this is what having a friend is like…then I like it, I guess.”
“I like hanging out with you, too,” she whispered back.
It was the truth.
