Page 48 of Beautifully Complicated

“I’m starting to think he has a crush on you,” Aiden says, and while I’ve wondered that myself, Daniel hasn’t said or done anything to definitively answer that question, so I dismiss the comment.

“You’re the one he thinks is cute.” I wink at him when he gasps.

“Eew, I was his student. Hisliteralstudent, not a TA he met outside school grounds.” He throws in the disclaimer that we’re different, never missing an opportunity to remind me of his willingness to blur the lines a little when it comes to ourno dating until after graduationpolicy.

“I’m just telling you what he told me.”

“Again, eew. I don’t think I’ll be able to look at him the same way again.” He wrinkles his nose.

“How did you look at him before?”

Aiden cocks his head to the side and gnaws on his lip. “I didn’t really. I mean, obviously I saw him as a professor, but outside class he’s just… I didn’t have any thoughts about him. Maybe that’d be different if his classes challenged me, but they were 101 level classes I had to take, and I found them pretty basic, so I didn’t give them, or him, much thought. Is that awful?”

“No, just honest.”

“What about you? What do you think of him?”

The question surprises me since I’m not one of his students, and I feel my brows pull together as I ask, “Why would I think of him?”

“Because he’s into you.”

“I’m not into him.”

“I know, but if he does like you, you can’t just ignore it.”

“Why not?”

Aiden chews on his lip again.

“It bothers you that I’d ignore it?” I press gently.

“I don’t like it, no. I don’t like him having a crush on you either, but ignoring it could hurt him.”

“How do I even know he’s interested; he’s never said anything.”

Aiden lifts a listless shoulder. “That doesn’t mean the feelings don’t exist.”

Since his comments don’t appear to be coming from jealousy, I have a feeling they’re rooted in something more personal. “Is this a you and Bennet thing or me and Daniel thing?”

His teeth work that lip again, something he knows he can bait me with, although I think in this instance it’s a subconscious act.

“A little of both?” he says. “ I’ve been in that spot before, and while I bear responsibility for Bennet being oblivious to my feelings, part of me thinks if he was paying attention he would’ve caught on. And even though it would’ve hurt, I think I’d have appreciated him telling me he wasn’t interested since that would’ve at least been confirmation that he saw me. Like… at least I was important enough to notice, even if he didn’t reciprocate.”

My heart breaks for what Aiden went through, even though I’m selfishly elated his roommate was blind to those feelings. Still, it’s clear the experience left a mark on him, and I think it’s sweet he doesn’t want another man to go through the same thing.

He’s as beautiful inside as he is out.

I’m still not sure he’s right about the crush though.

“I hear what you’re saying, but ninety percent of what Daniel texts me about could be considered work, and the other ten percent could be blowing off steamaboutwork since I’m a colleague. What if I have a conversation like the one you’re suggesting, and I offend him because he doesn’t see me that way.”

“Okay, A—everyone sees you that way. Trust me on this.” The flare of heat in his eyes is brief yet undeniable, and he swallows thickly before he continues. “And B, no one said you have to come right out and sayI know you like me, but I don’t feel the same way.”

I throw my hands up. “You literally just told me you wished Bennet had done that.”

“Bennet and I had been best friends for years by that point, so that would’ve worked for us. For you, all you need to do is avoid leading him on.”

“How do I do that?” I grumble.

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