Page 62 of Game Misconduct

His brows pulled together. “Does Mitch know that?”

I nodded. “I called him on my way home and asked him what on earth he’d been thinking. The whole point of that date was to treat it as an experiment, but I swear he blew it on purpose.”

He didn’t say anything. Just stared at a spot over my shoulder. “He didn’t tell me that.”

I groaned. “His friend was truly terrible, but it worked.”

His eyes flashed to mine. “What?”

“The experiment.” I mustered all my courage. I’d waited so long, okay a few days, for him to get home so I could tell him in person.

“What do you mean?”

“I went on that date because I was confused.” I paused. “No that’s not completely true. I was scared.”

He shifted. “What were you scared of?”

I swallowed. This was it. Time to be brave. “Of my feelings.” I waited for a breath for him to say something but he stayed silent. “I realized I was starting to feel more for you than just friendship, and it kind of freaked me out. The more I allowed myself to acknowledge those emotions, the further from friends they became. Things with us are new, and I like spending time with you. I was scared that if I told you, I’d ruin things.”

“So you went on a date with someone else?” he asked, his expression wounded.

“When you repeat it back like that, it sounds pretty stupid.” His brow rose. “I thought if I went out with someone else, I would be able to compare how I felt around them to how I feel around you and it would clarify things. I told myself it was the shiny-new-toy excitement of having you in my life that I was feeling, not anything real. I tried to convince myself that I’d feel the same thing with any new guy, but I quickly learned that’s not the case.”

He took in a long breath. “So these feelings?”

I bit my lip as my face warmed.

“You’re sure about them?” he asked.

“Yes, Parker. I’m certain.”

He looked down again. I scooted closer to him, needing to take his hand. I hesitated, fearing he’d pull away, but his fingers slid through mine and he squeezed.

“I should have just told you, but I didn’t want to lose what we were building,” I admitted.

“Vivi.” His voice was hoarse. “You’re not going to lose me.”

“But?” I asked. I could feel it hanging in in the air. This was where he’d let me down gently. The ‘it’s not you, but me’ speech. When he’d tell me he only saw me as a friend.

“No buts. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, even before the trip, but every second I was gone, I wished I was right here. I’m just as scared as you. I don’t want to mess up what we have either. I’m not the best at opening up and letting people in, but it’s different with you. Being with you is as easy as skating for me.” He smiled. “That’s super cheesy.”

I traced his jaw with my finger. “It’s perfect because that’s how I feel. Minus the skating. I’m horrible at that, but being with you is effortless. I don’t feel like I have to put on an act. You accept me the way I am.”

He nodded. “I don’t want you to change a thing.”

That was the first time I remembered anyone ever saying that to me. My eyes burned, and I fought back the tears. “I’m so glad I met you.”

“Me too.” He scanned my face before leaning forward.

My heart nearly exploded from my chest when his lips touched mine. The relief and excitement and joy that filled me was almost too much. This was all I’d been wanting and thinking about for nearly two weeks, and it was finally happening.

His hand wrapped around the back of my neck, and I gripped the front of his shirt as he deepened the kiss.

He pulled back enough to touch his forehead to mine. “This is real, right?”

My cheeks were already aching from smiling.

“I want to take you on a proper date.”