Page 51 of No More Heartbreakers

“Oh.”

He was right. Not only had I just kissed him like I was starved for him then cut him off and left him high and dry, I’d been acting strangely for weeks. Of course he’d noticed.

Naturally I couldn’t tell him the truth.

“Well, it’s... obviously I… like you, but Ijustgot out of a relationship,” I semi-lied. “I’m not ready to get involved with anyone new right now.”

“We don’t have to ‘get involved.’”

I had to laugh at the way his tone left the thought hanging. “What are you saying? We don’t have to date? You’re fine with just having meaningless sex in an edit bay?”

“Well, if you’re offering...”

He paused, his suggestive expression turning serious.

“No, really. I understand not wanting to rush into a new relationship. After what happened with my parents, I’ve never been anxious to get serious, either. We’re too young. But I don’t see why we can’t spend some time together, have fun.”

“We already do spend time together.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. I’d actually like to lay eyes on you outside of work hours. Are you trying to tell me you wouldn’t? I mean, Heidi—this is getting ridiculous.”

He gestured between the two of us. “You have to admit there’s something going on here beyond reciprocal photography.”

“Fine. Yes, I like you. I’m attracted to you. But we’re not going to do anything about it.”

“We’re not?”

“No. We’re going to work together and be friends and… and pretend like tonight didn’t happen.”

“That’s realistic.” His voice shimmered with sarcasm. “Would you mind telling mewhyit would be such a terrible thing for us to go out?”

Because if I give you an inch, you’ll take the entire circumference of my heart.

“Because—it’s against station policy.”

The first time I’deverappreciated one of Mr. Aubrey’s rules.

“Station policy,” Aric repeated, his lips twisting in an amused smirk.

“Yes. No fraternizing between employees. We could get fired.”

Aric lifted himself from the corner of my desk and let out a long breath.

“Okay, Heidi. You win. But so we’re clear… in case I didn’t make it obvious enough a few minutes ago—or every day since we’ve met—I’m interested in more than just a work relationship with you.”

He ran a hand through his blond waves and looked at the ground, shaking his head before meeting my eyes again.

“I like you. And it’s hard for me to be around you without wanting to… attack you in an edit bay. But if you want to stick to ‘station policy,’ that’s what we’ll do. Whenever those thoughts come up, I’ll think of… Swedish meatballs or something.”

“Swedish meatballs?’

“I hate Swedish meatballs. They gross me out. And Heidi?”

“Yes?”

“When you finally get tired of fighting it and you’re ready for some fraternizing? Let me know.”

Aric gave me a burning look then left me in a heated puddle in the newsroom.

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