“So he’s not the one. Then we keep looking.”
“No. I’m done.”
“The hell you are. You have to fight. Maybe it’s Jonas,” I said, grasping at straws. “He won’t let me touch him—something about Cupids trying to take over the world. But I’ll get a read on him.”
“Good luck with that. Honestly, just drop it. Okay? Move on with your life. Enjoy the amazing ratings and all the new seasonsLove Unscriptedwill get. And I’ll be sure to act like I couldn’t care less about you during our remaining interviews, so that should help.”
“That’s all you think I care about? Ratings?”
“No. But, just take the wins,” she said, flustered. “And just go do what you want.” She waved her hand around erratically. “I’m going to help people tonight. I’ll see you later.”
She turned to go, but I was tired of her dismissing me. More than anything, I was tired of fighting my feelings for her. I caught her hand and yanked her back, pulling her flush against me until we were face-to-face, lips a breath apart.
Her eyes widened, fire and defiance sparking in them, but she didn’t pull away.
“I won’t let you give up.” My voice was low and rough. “Even though it’s killing me not to have you for myself. I swore to you that I would help you, and I’m going to doeverything in my power to see that through, even if it means never tasting or touching you again.”
She blinked, saying nothing. The silence between us was louder than the crowd around us. My pulse hammered, my grip tight on her hand, every instinct screaming to close the distance.
“Roman,” she whispered, inching ever closer, tempting me.
“Please don’t,” I begged her, wanting her more than anything I’d ever wanted in my life. “Let me be an honorable man.”
A single tear escaped and ran down her cheek. As if I’d broken her heart. But it was impossible. Her heart was locked. Protected from hurt. Right?
“You are a good man.”
She stepped back, and I let her go. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done. The void was back, deeper and more acute than ever.
“Now let me be a good woman. I’ll meet you at the car in an hour.”
I nodded, because if I said anything else, I’d be begging her to let me have all of her—just once. And I refused to be that man. I knew she couldn’t give me everything, not without her heart.
I watched her walk away, hoping I’d feel some comfort in knowing I’d done the right thing. That I was a good man.
But the truth was, I felt like a fool and a failure. I’d just let go of one of the best things that had ever come into my life.
Chapter XXXV
Demi
“Whatareyoudoingback so soon?” Cassie shot up from the couch, eyes wide, as if I’d startled her. “Were you afraid the glamour would wear off?”
I shook my head and threw myself into her arms, sobbing. The sound tore out of me, jagged and unfamiliar. I hadn’t sobbed in years. I hadn’t even known I could.
My chest ached, my throat burned, and the tears wouldn’t stop. How could that even be? My heart was supposed to be locked—untouchable, protected. And yet it felt like something inside me had splintered open, like a part of it had clawed its way back to life. Had Roman unlocked a piece of it?
Cassie held me tighter, her voice low and steady. “Demi . . . what happened?”
What had happened? That was a good question.
“Roman,” I stuttered out his name. “He’s trying to be noble.”
“And this is bad?”
“Yes!” I cried. “He’s being such an idiot. He doesn’t want me to touch him, doesn’t want me to tempt him. Worse, he doesn’t even appreciate that I’m humiliating myself onnational TV for him. It’s like the ratings don’t even matter to him anymore.”
Cassie guided me to the couch, and we collapsed onto it, my head landing on her shoulder.
