the least.”
“What? I’m practically a stranger to you.”
“How?” he asked. “I feel more comfortable around you than anyone else. I don’t need to know you for years to know what I feel. And call me crazy, but I think you feel the same way.”
I stepped back, surprised.
“Tell me I’m wrong.” The ice cream was beginning to melt down his hand so he tossed it in the garbage.
I held my own because I was too shocked to do anything else.
“Tell me, Rose.” He stepped toward me, getting closer than he ever had before.
I felt my heart race in my chest, about to give out any moment. When he was this close to me I couldn’t think straight. My head was in the clouds. “You’re wrong…” The words sounded half-assed even to my own ears. It didn’t matter if I was comfortable around him or not. This could never go any further.
Kyle stared at me like he didn’t believe a word I said. “I don’t believe you—even for a second.”
I took a step back, unable to stand in his shadow. “Kyle, you need to back off. I mean it.”
“I didn’t mean any harm.” He dropped his threatening tone, turning docile. “I want you, Rose. I thought if I understood your reservations better I could convince you to give me a chance. That’s all.”
“Well, I don’t appreciate it.”
“She didn’t tell me anything so your secrets are still safe. And I apologize for what I did.”
I wanted to be angry with him, to hold a grudge and march off. But I couldn’t. It was impossible to stay angry. “Don’t do it again.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t ask me about it either.”
“You have my word.”
“And leave me alone.”
The hurt in his eyes was unmistakable. “That I can’t do.”
“You don’t get much of a choice in the matter.”
“Actually, I do. If you didn’t feel anything for me then I would walk away. If I knew you really didn’t want me I’d leave you in peace. But I know that isn’t the case. You feel exactly what I feel. There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
It didn’t matter what I felt. It wouldn’t change anything.
“All I’m asking for is a date. Please.”
“Kyle—”
“Come on. I’m a nice guy that will treat you right. If you gave me a chance you would see that.”
“You’re probably right. But that doesn’t change anything.” I lost my appetite for my treat, so I tossed it in the garbage. Now I just wanted to leave—to forget about this conversation entirely.
Kyle rubbed his temple, showing his frustration for the first time. “Then can I take you out as a friend?”
“What’s the difference?”
“There is no difference,” he snapped. “But if it makes you more comfortable then we can pretend.”
I’d never had a man pursue me this much before, let alone one that had his looks. The more I said no, the harder he pushed. If I said no, he may not give up. He might just push harder. “Why is this so important to you?”
“What?” he asked. “A date?”
“Yes.”
He looked away, his eyes scanning the grass beside the path. He considered the question in silence before he turned back to me. “I don’t have an answer—at least one that will make sense.”
“Try anyway.”
His eyes found mine and didn’t move again. “When you walked into that restaurant, I knew. What exactly? I don’t know. All I know is, there’s something here. My heart wouldn’t slow down and my body was about to give out. Never in my life have I had that kind of reaction to someone—not even for Francesca. We don’t know each other that well, but I’d really love to change that. I think it’s what we both need.”
I felt the same thing in that same moment. The fact I knew exactly what he was talking about scared me a little bit. When I saw him for the first time I felt that flutter deep in my stomach. And when I realized Will was my date, I couldn’t help but be disappointed.
Kyle studied my face as he waited for a response. “See? You know exactly what I’m
“What? I’m practically a stranger to you.”
“How?” he asked. “I feel more comfortable around you than anyone else. I don’t need to know you for years to know what I feel. And call me crazy, but I think you feel the same way.”
I stepped back, surprised.
“Tell me I’m wrong.” The ice cream was beginning to melt down his hand so he tossed it in the garbage.
I held my own because I was too shocked to do anything else.
“Tell me, Rose.” He stepped toward me, getting closer than he ever had before.
I felt my heart race in my chest, about to give out any moment. When he was this close to me I couldn’t think straight. My head was in the clouds. “You’re wrong…” The words sounded half-assed even to my own ears. It didn’t matter if I was comfortable around him or not. This could never go any further.
Kyle stared at me like he didn’t believe a word I said. “I don’t believe you—even for a second.”
I took a step back, unable to stand in his shadow. “Kyle, you need to back off. I mean it.”
“I didn’t mean any harm.” He dropped his threatening tone, turning docile. “I want you, Rose. I thought if I understood your reservations better I could convince you to give me a chance. That’s all.”
“Well, I don’t appreciate it.”
“She didn’t tell me anything so your secrets are still safe. And I apologize for what I did.”
I wanted to be angry with him, to hold a grudge and march off. But I couldn’t. It was impossible to stay angry. “Don’t do it again.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t ask me about it either.”
“You have my word.”
“And leave me alone.”
The hurt in his eyes was unmistakable. “That I can’t do.”
“You don’t get much of a choice in the matter.”
“Actually, I do. If you didn’t feel anything for me then I would walk away. If I knew you really didn’t want me I’d leave you in peace. But I know that isn’t the case. You feel exactly what I feel. There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
It didn’t matter what I felt. It wouldn’t change anything.
“All I’m asking for is a date. Please.”
“Kyle—”
“Come on. I’m a nice guy that will treat you right. If you gave me a chance you would see that.”
“You’re probably right. But that doesn’t change anything.” I lost my appetite for my treat, so I tossed it in the garbage. Now I just wanted to leave—to forget about this conversation entirely.
Kyle rubbed his temple, showing his frustration for the first time. “Then can I take you out as a friend?”
“What’s the difference?”
“There is no difference,” he snapped. “But if it makes you more comfortable then we can pretend.”
I’d never had a man pursue me this much before, let alone one that had his looks. The more I said no, the harder he pushed. If I said no, he may not give up. He might just push harder. “Why is this so important to you?”
“What?” he asked. “A date?”
“Yes.”
He looked away, his eyes scanning the grass beside the path. He considered the question in silence before he turned back to me. “I don’t have an answer—at least one that will make sense.”
“Try anyway.”
His eyes found mine and didn’t move again. “When you walked into that restaurant, I knew. What exactly? I don’t know. All I know is, there’s something here. My heart wouldn’t slow down and my body was about to give out. Never in my life have I had that kind of reaction to someone—not even for Francesca. We don’t know each other that well, but I’d really love to change that. I think it’s what we both need.”
I felt the same thing in that same moment. The fact I knew exactly what he was talking about scared me a little bit. When I saw him for the first time I felt that flutter deep in my stomach. And when I realized Will was my date, I couldn’t help but be disappointed.
Kyle studied my face as he waited for a response. “See? You know exactly what I’m
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