I sighed in defeat. “Yes, you can ask me a question, Greyson Hyun.”
He scrunched his face for a second at me saying his full government name. Somehow he managed to look evenmoreattractive with a silly expression. It wasn’t fair.
Then he took a deep breath. “Ethan?” He said it so quietly that I almost had to lean closer to hear him.
“Yes?”
A pause, then, “Do you have a crush on me?”
Chapter 8
Delicate Situations
Igaped at him for having the audacity to ask such a question. My mind scrambled for an appropriate response.Should I lie to him?I should definitely lie to him. There was no way in hell I would embarrass myself in front of Grey Hyun and admit that I had feelings for him like some sort of demented fangirl.Especiallynot right after he’d vented about those same fangirls not leaving him alone.
“Ethan?”
“I heard you,” I said, still trying to gather my thoughts. It was no use. I didn’t have enough time. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because I’m curious?”
“And I’m supposed to what? Admit my deep-seated feelings for the great Grey Hyun of Dreamscape? I’m not some fangirl.”
“I wouldn’t be here if I thought you were,” Grey said. “Don’t stress about it. It’s just a yes-or-no question.”
But it wasn’t. Every thought and feeling I had for Grey came with more asterisks than a college thesis. Yes, I had a crush on him—or I thought I did.ButI had never had a crush on a guy. For all I knew, I could be completely misconstruing my emotions.AndI didn’t even really know him that well. It wasn’t like we were close personal friends and I’d fallen in love withhim.What if everything I’m drawn to is fake? What then? Does that mean my crush is fake and once all the fakeness comes to the surface, we could just laugh it off and go our separate ways?
“I see you’re overthinking this,” Grey said, struggling to keep a straight face.
“I—” I took a deep breath then continued. “I don’t actuallyknowyou. I mean, we’ve talked, but I don’t know if I know you enough to know if I have a crush on you or not.”
“I’m not sure I know what you’re trying to say.”
“Like, I’m drawn to you. In a way that I’ve never been drawn to a guy before. And I’ve dreamed about kissing you, and—”
“Hold on.” Grey broke into his usual smile. “You dreamed about kissing me?”
My face warmed.I shouldn’t have said that.“Yes, okay. Only once. Don’t think you’re living in my dreams or anything.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of makingthatmistake.” Grey laughed.
“So, I think the answer is sort of yes,” I said. “But I don’t know for sure.”
“I appreciate your honesty.” Grey leaned closer, his lips mere inches from mine. “Most people would’ve just said ‘yes.’”
I refused to be bothered by his proximity, how easily I could kiss him. “Well I’m not like most people, I guess.”
“That much is certain,” Grey said, his voice low, intimate. It pulled me in. “You intrigue me, Ethan.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…” He drew even closer, his intoxicating scent filling my nostrils. “That I think I might have a crush on you too.”
His words drained every coherent thought from my brain. All I wanted to do was react instinctively—to reach out and kiss him, to re-create my dream in reality. But I couldn’t. Grey had agirlfriend, and no matter what sweet nothings he whispered into my ear, I had to keepthatpoint at the forefront of my mind. Because I wasn’t a home-wrecker, and more importantly…
“I’m not a sidepiece,” I said, probably a bit louder than necessary, but at least I’d said it. Josh would be proud of me.
Grey raised an eyebrow, pulling back from me. “I never said that you—”
