Page 61 of Falling Like This

“You okay?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I was… daydreaming.”

“Yeah, I can see that. About what?”

Uh, you.

I open my mouth to start some kind of speech, but then I look him up and down. The boy looks handsome. Downright sexy. Tight-in-the-right-spots dark-wash jeans. A deep green knit V-neck tee that hugs his huge biceps and firm pecs just the right way, before draping ever so loosely over his flat stomach. Aaron doesn’t have the thick row of six or eight pack abs. He has a light definition all over his stomach with a four pack. Which I think is sexy because he looks like a human, not an airbrushed model. And did I mention he looks hot?

The shirt brings out the gold flecks in his eyes, and he’s wearing a sweet smile. I almost want to fan myself because he looks so good.

“Wow, Ace, you look…” I trail off, my brain running through too many words. I feel like that scene inAladdinwhen the Genie keeps rattling off different words Aladdin could use to describe Jasmine.

Hot?No.

Gorgeous?No.

Heart-stopping?No.

Sexy?Yes, but no.

“Handsome,” I finally get out.

He looks down at his outfit and blushes a little.Why does he look so nice?I swallow the lump forming in my throat and ask, “Are you going somewhere?”

His eyes drop and he hesitates. My stomach knots.Did I miss something? Is he nervous?“I actually have a date.”

My heart sinks deep into the darkest pit of my stomach.

“A date?” I mumble.

He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I—I’m going out with Caity. I was going to tell you this last night, but I asked her to be my girlfriend.”

Wait. What?

He asked Caity to be his girlfriend?

After he told me I was the one he was spending the rest of the night with? After having a sex dream about me? After… everything?What the actual fuck?

“When?” My voice comes out angrier than intended, but is he freaking serious?

“A couple of nights ago.”

“A couple of…” The mix of anger and pure hurt causes tears to rush to my eyes. I do everything I can to push them down. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He hems and haws. “It’s not… it’s not serious…”

I stare at him for a moment.Is this really happening? Am I in an alternate universe?

“I—I thought—”

His eyes lock on mine, and he must see the pain in my eyes.

“I’m sorry. I…” He trails off. “I should’ve told you. Anyway, I guess I should go.”

He says it more like a question and looks at me tentatively.

Does he want me to tell him not to go? I mean, if he has feelings for me, why the hell is he dating her? I know we hadn’t talked a lot about this, but I thought we were on the same page.

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