Page 60 of Power Play

This felt like standing close enough to the edge that one wrong answer could cost me both.

“You could have anyone,” I said.

Ryan’s eyebrows pulled together. “What?”

The words sounded stupid once they were outside my head. I shrugged. “You know what I mean.”

“No, I actually don’t.”

“Every woman at KFU has wanted you at some point.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“Bliss has photographic evidence.”

“Bliss has photographic evidence of everything.”

“You know women want you.”

Ryan stared at me like he was trying to figure out how the conversation had turned this direction. “I’m aware women have wanted to fuck me.”

The confidence in the answer irritated me exactly as much as it should have.

“Thank you for confirming.”

“You brought it up.”

“I’m saying you have options.”

“So do you.”

“That isn’t the same.”

“Why?”

Because I wasn’t Ryan. Men looked at me and saw a body I spent most of my time hating. Ryan had kissed women who probably never stood naked in front of mirrors searching for new reasons to despise themselves, and friendship with him mattered enough that losing it terrified me more than admitting I wanted him.

I couldn’t say any of that.

“I don’t know.”

Ryan stepped forward again and settled one hand lightly on my knee.

“Look at me.”

I did.

“You think I stopped because I changed my mind about wanting you?”

The fact that he had found the exact fear so easily made me hate myself a little.

I looked away.

Ryan’s fingers tightened gently against my knee. “Charm.”

“Maybe.”

“Fuck.”