“I’m a guy, and I think you’re the most attractive woman I’ve ever met,” I said honestly before I could stop myself.
She snorted again. “Please,” she said drily. “We’ve met more than once previously, and you were a jerk to me.”
Yeah, I probably had been.
“That’s my normal personality,” I informed her stiffly. “I’m not a charming or engaging guy.”
I didn’t completely trust anyone except Asher, and I had very few people that I could call friends.
I sucked at casual conversation and making small talk.
I was a loner, and I liked it that way.
“I didn’t hear you asking me out,” she said teasingly, like she hadn’t believed a single word I’d said about her being attractive.
“I don’t date, and I don’t do relationships,” I said flatly.
“Why?” she asked.
“It makes life less complicated and messy,” I said grumpily, annoyed that Lauren had blown off my comment about finding her attractive.
She wasn’t buying it.
Hell, did she think I was just being nice or something?
Yeah, she probably did.
She had no idea that I wasnevernice.
If I said something, I meant it.
“Everyone’s life is complicated and messy at times,” she told me.
“Not mine,” I informed her. “The flu threw me off my game, but I’m usually pretty regimented, and I stick to my schedule. I’m only close to my brother, and he operates the same way I do. No bullshit. No drama. I don’t do complicated or messy.”
She shot me a questioning look. “That sounds pretty…boring and emotionless.”
I raised a brow. “Exactly. No highs or lows. Just smooth sailing most of the time. At least in my personal life.”
She frowned. “But that also means you have no love. No joy. And no happiness.”
I shrugged. “Who says that peace and normality doesn’t make someone happy?”
It definitely worked for me.
I’d had a hellish childhood full of fear, uncertainty, and pain.
Having a normal adulthood that was peaceful was pretty damn blissful to me.
“Does that make you happy?” she asked in a curious tone.
Happy?
I’d honestly never thought about happiness.
Just having my sanity and peace of mind had always been more than enough for me.
I let out an uncomfortable cough that wasn’t completely due to my illness.
