Page 38 of The Player I Can’t Pick

Guy doesn’t look scared at all. If anything, he looks completely sure of himself. “I promise I won’t hurt her.”

My mouth falls open again. He can’t promise that. I almost say it but stop myself. Dad turns to me. “You’re a grown woman. You can make your own choices. But if you ever need me, you tell me.”

I nod. “I know, Dad.”

He gestures toward my plate. “Now eat before your food gets cold.”

Thankfully, the conversation goes back to normal after that, and we all eat our food.

But the second Dad leaves, I turn on Guy. “What the hell was that?”

Guy shakes his head. “I wasn’t going to start whatever this is between us by lying to your father, Nicole. You know I couldn’t do that.”

“We had a deal. This is a fling. Something private.”

Guy reaches across the table and takes my hand. “We agreed to keep this private. I never agreed it was a fling.”

I lift one shoulder. “But that’s what this is, and the fewer people who know about it, the better.”

His jaw tightens. “You really believe that?”

I pull my hand from his. “I’m trying to be realistic.”

“No. You’re trying to make this mean less than it does because you’re scared.”

My back stiffens. “You don’t get to tell me how I feel.”

“You’re right.” His voice softens. “But I do get to tell you how I feel.”

I stare at him. Guy leans closer across the table. “This isn’t a fling to me, Nicole. I’m not asking you to announce anything or put our business out there, but I’m also not going to pretend you’re just someone I’m sleeping with.”

My heart pounds. “Guy⁠—”

He squeezes my hand again. “What are you so scared of?”

I pull my hand back and bind my fingers together in front of me. “You want the truth?”

He nods. “Always.”

I wrap my arms around myself as the pancakes I just ate threaten to rise. “Fine, you want the truth? Nothing can come of this.”

CHAPTER 15

GUY

I lean toward her. “I’m sorry. What?”

She shrugs as if this is just a casual conversation instead of her dropping a bomb on me. “Yeah, we’re good together, and I have fun with you, but you’re Guy Brody.”

I stand from my side of the booth and move around to sit beside her. I turn toward her, effectively blocking her from the rest of the restaurant. “You’re scared.”

Her eyes lower. “I am. I don’t want to get hurt.” Then she looks back at me. “And you could absolutely destroy me.”

Before I can answer, she continues. “I can’t do this, Guy. I’ve seen the women you date.”

“So?”

She lifts her shoulders. “I’m nothing like them.”