Page 11 of Fallen Flame

“I just looked at him,” I admitted softly, “and suddenly I wanted to know him.”

Ever smiled. “Aww.”

“Don’t ‘aww’ me.”

“I’m going to ‘aww’ you.”

“It was humiliating.”

“It doesn’t sound humiliating.”

“He rejected me.”

She reached over and bumped my shoulder. “I don’t think he rejected you.”

I frowned. “Ever. I basically threw myself at him, and then he walked away.”

“Hear me out.”

I crossed my arms. “I’m hearing.”

“You literally just met him one-on-one.”

“We’ve known each other for years.”

“You’ve seen each other for years.”

That was different, I guess.

“You’ve never actually spent time together,” she continued. “And now you’re living here.”

“I know.”

“He was probably trying to do the right thing.”

I let out a slow breath. “Maybe.”

“He seems like that kind of guy.”

“He does.”

“He probably didn’t want to take advantage of the situation.”

I hadn’t thought about it that way. I’d only thought about the embarrassment. The awkwardness. The sting of hearing “goodnight” instead of anything remotely romantic.

Ever smiled knowingly. “I don’t think you scared him away.”

“No?”

“I think you surprised him.”

I laughed. “I am surprising.”

“You are.”

“I’ve been called a lot of things.”

“I’m sure.”