Page 83 of I Choose You

I wasn’t sure how to break the quiet, but it didn’t seem to bother him. He looked calmer, his grip relaxed on the steering wheel and his shoulders not as tense.

He must have felt me staring because he turned to smile at me. It wasn’t a wide grin. More like a simple show of being contented with me.

“You’re the only person I want to spend time with.”

What was I supposed to say to that?

I had heard the sincerity in his voice and I noticed the seriousness in his gaze.

Still, what did that mean? I was the chosen one because he had to get away from others? He sought me out because I could offer him something no one else did?

All I was supposed to bring to the table for him was pretending to be his date. This wasn’t a date. Running an errand with me wasn’t a wedding-related event where he’d need to put on a show for his dad.

Because he sees me as a friend?

I glanced at him again. If he needed me, I wanted to be there for him. Yet, that went strictly against the resolution I planned to stick to.

No more fake dating.

Business only.

But it sounded so hard to consider now.

“I’m sorry for startling you.”

The quiet had grown so loud, I almost flinched when he spoke up.

“For just popping in.”

“You looked so out of sorts that I was worried you were hurt,” I admitted. “Or that something had happened to someone.”

He took my hand then. One gentle squeeze, and then he released it. “No, nothing like that. I just wanted to see you.”

I cringed. “As what though?”

“What do you mean?”

I watched the scenery blur by out the window. I couldn’t explain it, but I didn’t want to look at him directly when I explained. “You wanted to see me as your fake date? Business colleague? Something more?”

“Just you.” He was totally evading my questions, but I’d let it slide.

I felt wanted when he admitted he’d sought me out. A sense of belonging mixed with importance followed.

Just me. I liked that. And I would hold on to those sentiments for as long as I could.

Before long, we reached my mom’s house.

Kaden peered at it through the window. The way he slanted and ducked brought his head close to mine, and I held my breath. This close and treated to his spicy clean scent, I was tempted. It wouldn’t take much to slide my hand along his lean, stubble-covered jaw. I’d urge him to bring those soft, wicked lips closer to mine and show him how much I could reciprocate.

I want to spend time with you, too. And there lay the problem. I couldn’t figure out how to justify any right to be with him.

He glanced at me, seeming to realize he’d leaned in that far. “Where are we?”

I inhaled a long, careful breath as he sat back in the driver’s seat.

“Come on.”

Christ, I had to get out of this SUV. Sure, I wanted his company, but I was only so strong.