Page 101 of Not That Into You

“Ohio isn’t across the country. And I’m not moving there. It’s only temporary.”

I hear the defensiveness in my voice, but I didn’t expect this reaction from him. From Hayley maybe, but not Cameron. Although we recently spent a lot of time together and had sex—really incredible sex—we’ve never discussed the future. As far as I know, we don’t have a future.

“Why does it matter?”

“Seriously, Monica?” He blows out a breath before falling back into the couch.

“Cameron, we’re not... It was just...”

“Sex?” He sits up. “Really?”

I stare at him, uncertain of what to say. We’ve made no promises to each other, and I’m not going to risk reading too much into what happened last night. We blurred lines all weekend, so it’s not surprising we blurred, or rather obliterated, them last night.

Cameron’s mouth flattens as he shakes his head in disappointment. “Come on, Monica. You can’t keep pretending there isn’t something here.” He grabs my hand. “I know I’m not alone in this. I know you feel it, too.”

Heart thumping, I take in Cameron’s sincere expression. I can’t deny there’s something between us, but I’m not convinced it’s anything other than a blazing fire that will quickly burn itself out.

Just because we have chemistry, doesn’t mean we fit.

I lick my lips. “Cameron...”

His expression darkens. “Don’t.”

“Cameron.” I take a deep breath. “It’s not that I don’t feel anything. But whether I feel anything or not doesn’t change anything.”

His brow furrows. “What do you mean?”

“I have to focus on my family right now. I don’t have time for whatever this is.” I pull my hand out of his grasp. “I’m sorry.”

He frowns before his mouth firms in determination. “You’ll only be gone temporarily?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’ll have time when you return.”

I huff out a snort. “Are you asking me or telling me?”

“Telling you.”

“There’s the arrogance I know so well,” I say, giving him a flat look.

He sighs in frustration. “I understand you need to take care of your family. I get you have to go back to Dayton for a while. But once you come back to New York—once you come home—I want to explore this further. I want there to be an us.”

My eyes widen as my heart trips over itself. “You want to date?”

“I want us to be in a relationship. A real relationship. Don’t you?”

My mouth drops open as I try to gather my thoughts. A relationship with Cameron? We’re so different, so incompatible. It’s hard to imagine how we’d work long term. Especially with his family looming in the background. They don’t approve of me, and it’s clear their opinion matters to Cameron. As long as he works for his father, he still has to play by their rules.

And I don’t know how long I’ll be in Dayton. What if he loses interest while I’m gone? He might meet someone else in the meantime.

Cameron studies my face before smiling sadly. “I guess that’s my answer.”

“Cameron...”

“It’s okay.” He leans back. “I’m a big boy. I can take rejection.”

I grab his hand. “It’s not that I’m rejecting you.”

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