Page 41 of A Crane Family New Year

“I’m glad you stayed.” Zander licked his bottom lip, more nervous than he should have been. She had made it clear tonight that she needed distance, but he’d assumed she’d need only a few minutes. If she’d been on her way out… Shit. She was done with him, wasn’t she?

“We could have had this conversation via direct message online, but that didn’t seem fair.”

He swallowed thickly. Waited. The band announced that it was five minutes until the new year.

“I don’t want you to feel like you need to explain yourself.” She unfolded her hands to take one of his. “I understand if I’m expecting more than you’re ready for, and I don’t expect you to move on if it’s too soon.”

Wait. What?

Was she saying?—?

“Are you under the impression that you…took advantage of me?”

“Not exactly. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t use my wiles to drag you into bed.”

“Chloe, you didn’t drag me.” Quite the opposite. He’d been leading her down the hallway the moment he’d learned she was interested in kissing him some more.

“The point is,” she continued, “I didn’t think about what sex might mean for you. I don’t want to cause problems in your life, Zander. You moved here, but it doesn’t mean you’ve moved on.”

“What are you?—?”

“You don’t have to let me down easy. Or let me down at all. Just because I’m ready for more with you…” Her mouth dropped open as if she hadn’t meant to confess that. “I didn’t want to ruin your evening.”

Ruin his evening? Her leaving before he had a chance to tell her what he’d found was what would have ruined the evening. He nearly smiled in relief. This beautiful woman had him so, so wrong. He was going to set her straight.

“In that case”—he offered a hand—“perhaps one final dance? We can seal the night with a kiss.”

“You don’t have to do that.” The sad acceptance on her cherubic face threatened to crush him. How could she believe he’d sleep with her and then toss her aside?

“I’m asking, Chloe. Please dance with me?”

After a brief hesitation, she slid her hand into his. He walked her to the dance floor, certainty in each footfall. He’d had no idea what to say to her earlier, but now he knew.

He pulled her close, bent his neck, and looked into her wide hazel eyes. She deserved to hear the truth, not the story she’d made up in her head.

And he was going to tell her.

So, he’d saved the last dance of the year for her.

She was glad Eli had stopped her from leaving. That wouldn’t have been fair to Zander. She saw that now. He was more to her than a dialogue bubble on a cell phone screen. He was a real, complex human being. He was strong and capable, quiet and thoughtful. Exceedingly fair. He’d given her the benefit of the doubt over and over tonight. She owed him a goodbye, at the very least.

Maybe staying friends would work out…

A heavy sigh worked its way from her lungs to her lips. She didn’t want to only be Zander’s friend, but she would accept it if that’s what was left.

“Back when we first met online—” he started, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.

On the inside, she shuddered as she remembered the moments they’d spent together in that bedroom. She arched closer, soaking in his body heat.

“—we talked about the city,” he continued. “And art. Whether or not enjoying a mixed drink before noon was a bad idea.”

She smiled at those early interactions. When she’d known him only as HopperFan02—named for his favorite painter, Edward Hopper. Before she’d seen his face. He hadn’t mentioned his late wife or that his last name was Crane. She understood now why he’d left that out.

“You were easy to talk to,” he said.

“So were you.”

“Then we shared what scared us the most. It was Halloween night—for you anyway.”

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