Page 113 of Hard to Get

STELLA

My breath hitches. My heart explodes in a frantic rhythm and my belly goes fluttery.

He’s falling for me.

Surprise turns to a flood of happiness, warmth spreading through my body. I can’t stop the tremulous smile that pulls at the corners of my mouth.

Then reality hits. He said “seriously” falling for me. What exactly does he mean by that? That sounds long-term. Significant. I catch my bottom lip between my teeth.

“What’s wrong?” I feel his body tense against mine.

I’ve been trying not to fall for this man. Because I don’t want serious. Now we have a problem.

“Jayden.” I curve my fingers over his shoulder. “I like you a lot.”

“I hear a but coming.”

Yeah. I don’t want to say that word. “I like you a lot and I like spending time with you. I’m very happily single. I have a demanding job. I have a full life. I just told you what went wrong in my last relationship.”

“I’m not him.” His voice grates as if his jaw is clenched.

“I know! I’m not saying you are.”

“Look. I know all that about you. That’s why I… why I’m falling for you. I admire that.”

I blink a few times, my bottom lip pushing out. “You shouldn’t be falling for me.”

His face is carved in stone. “I know you try to be a strong businesswoman. I know you act all cool-headed and self-possessed. But you want what everyone wants… love and belonging. Connection. I think deep down inside, you’re really a romantic.”

I gaze at him, nonplussed. “Romantic.”

“Yeah.”

I slowly move my head from side to side. “I don’t think so.”

“What were all those tears during the ceremony?”

Heat slides up into my face. “I was hoping for Harrison and Meredith’s sake that this works out for them.” I pause. “Because this whole wedding has reinforced my belief that marriage is for suckers and love doesn’t last.”

That sounds harsh.

His eyes flicker. He swallows hard. “That’s what you think.”

“It is.”

“You don’t believe in love?”

“I believe in it.” I toss back my hair. “I just don’t think it lasts forever. I just told you about Cole. And I don’t have very good role models of healthy relationships in my parents.”

“I see that. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever have another relationship.” His eyes shadow. “So… what does this mean? For us? Are we done?”

My heart contracts. “That’s not what I want.”

“What exactly do you want?”

I swallow. “Can we keep going the way we have been? It’s been good.” I pause. “Right?”

“It’s been better than good. You know it has.”