It feels like all the air gets sucked out of the cab of his truck. My heart pounds so hard it feels like it's in my throat. It feels like I'm having a panic attack.What does he mean? He said he wanted to be friends!I open my mouth to respond, but he beats me to it.
"I want to be more than your friend, Daredevil."
My heart pounds out of my chest, bursting with a kind of excitement that I've never felt before, along with a hefty dose of anxiety. "What do you mean?" I whisper, scared that I'm jumping to conclusions, that I've mistaken his intent.
He smiles, and it's the most patient, most handsome smile I've ever seen. "I want to be your boyfriend, Millie St. James."
That's it.My breath ceases to exist. "Oh!"
My mind starts running at warp speed. The excitement from just moments ago starts to turn into something much more realistic. As in, I remember who I am and who he is. Me, the introvert that's never had a real friend, let alone a boyfriend, and him, the hockey god that's probably had more girlfriends than I can count. "I don't understand. I thought we talked about this?"I thought we were on the same page, but right now it feels like we're on completely different planets.
"We did," He answers, patiently. He still has that same endearing smile on his face that is surely meant to melt my heart. It's working so well that I have to look away in order to think straight.
"Nothing's changed."
"I disagree."
I blow out a breath of frustration. "Rowan," I say sternly because I feel like he isn't listening and decided to go and change the rules on me without me looking.
"Millie," he responds, his voice entirely too playful for my liking.
"I'm serious." This must be a practical joke. I'm just waiting for him to crack a smile and say, "Gotcha." As terrible as that would be, it would make more sense than him actually being interested in me. We have nothing in common, and I'm not the typical girl he dates.
I know because one night when I was naïve and hopeful, I decided to look at his socials. It was a decision I quickly regretted and also led to me having the "we're just friends" talk with him not that long ago. Because it was girl after gorgeous girl. None of which looked anything like me. Sure, on a good day I would describe myself as pretty, but I don't compare to the drop-dead gorgeous girls he has hanging on his arm night after night. I had to safely place him in the friend category before he went and did it before me.
His smile turns into something more subdued but just as beautiful. His eyes turn molten, sincerity bleeding from his tone. "I am too."
"Why?" I ask, dumbfounded.Why now? Why me?
His eyes narrow slightly as he watches me. "What do you mean, why?"
"I mean, why me, Rowan?"
He tilts his head with confusion swimming in his eyes. "I don't understand."
I sigh in frustration. "Let's not pretend I'm your usual type." I put my hands up to air quote the last part.
There he goes, growling again. "Who says you aren't my type? Because from where I'm sitting, you are very much my type." He makes a show of adjusting his crotch. My eyes dart down with the movement and widen when I see the very prominent bulge in his pants.
He continues, but I can't seem to take my eyes off that bulge. My mouth waters and my core heats.
"Why not you? You're amazing, Millie. Smart, kind, funny, beautiful. The list goes on and on. If anything, you should be asking if I'm good enough for you."
He chuckles, and I feel a gentle touch at my chin. He uses his finger to push my chin up. "My eyes are up here, Daredevil." Once my gaze connects with his, he winks.
My cheeks heat with embarrassment. "Sorry," I whisper.
"Don't ever apologize, baby. You can look all you want, but right now I need your eyes." His soft command has my core melting at an alarming speed.
I shake my head. "I really don't understand, but it doesn't matter because this is too much." I suddenly feel very overwhelmed. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the conversation with Lily and Luka at dinner, and now this. I can't process all of this at once.
"It's okay. We don't have to decide anything tonight. You can take as long as you need. I just want to make one thing clear."
"What's that?"
"My intentions."
"Your intentions?" I repeat like the dummy that I feel like.
