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He clutched my shoulders and forced me to look at him. “You have me. I fucking love you. I can’t fight it anymore. Don’t you get that? I love you, Aria, though I’m not sure why, because honestly, you’re a fucking mess, but I love you anyway. I’ve never met a woman like you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. I can make you happy. We could be the best team. We’d be unstoppable together.”

OMG! Did he just say he loved me? My heart leaped for joy. I was in love with him, and he was in love with me. We loved each other. He had seen my quirkiness, my madness, and yet still lovedme.

But I couldn’t tell him how much I lovedhim.

No. No.

There was no room in my world for love. None. Not now. Definitely notnow.

And he may love me now, but his love would turn to hate when he realized the secret I had been keeping fromhim.

He would leave me the second he found out I had joined the Navy on a BUD/S contract.

My hands shook and my vision blurred. How had I let this get so far? This was supposed to be a summer fling and nothingmore.

I had to endthis.

I had to end thisnow.

I stared at this fine ass man in front of me. A man who I never thought in my wildest dreams would be attracted to me, let alone tell me he loved me. I prayed for the strength to tell the only guy I had ever loved goodbye.

“Love me? You don’t even know me. You don’t know anything about the realme.”

He shook his head and clasped my hands in his. “You’re wrong, sweetheart. I do know you. I see you, Aria. The real you. You are so determined and strong. You will stop at nothing to win. You are worthy of being loved. Please, stop shutting me out. Let me loveyou.”

I choked down my sobs, refusing to let him see me cry. Let him see on my face how much I cared abouthim.

How much I loved him, too.

But unfortunately for both of us, I didn’t love myself.

“You really want to know who I am? I’m a liar. I’m a fraud. I use people. If you knew who I really was, you would want nothing to do with me. GoodbyeErik.”

And I stormed off the base back to the Hotel Del, leaving my pretty sea foam cruiser, and my man, behind.

My body was battered and bruised. But at least it was in one piece.

Unlike my heart.