Page 55 of A Love Song for Dreamers

“If youwant.”

The earnestness in his voice makes meache.

I shut my eyes, not against him, but against thefeelings.

I can’t have them. Not because I don’t think he feels something too, but because giving into them isdangerous.

I nearly lost myself when I had to let Tyler go the last time. It would break me if I had to do itagain.

I feel him shift over me, the bed denting under hisweight.

I blink my eyes open to see him hovering inches away, studying me from under his thick, dark lashes. Every nerve in me tingles withanticipation.

Not only between my thighs, buteverywhere.

“I need to get to the airport,” I say, my voicebreathy.

Neither of usmoves.

The past few days with him, the familiarity creeps in everywhere—the inside jokes, the teasing. He’ll smile or say something so classic deadpan Tyler that I have to remind myself we’re notdating.

Sometimes, I’m not sure I want to remind myself we’re notdating.

He always made me feel things no other guy could, but now he’s making me feel things I didn’t know I was capableof.

Physically.Emotionally.

And that’s theproblem.

I care about Tyler more than I should, more than it’s safe tocare.

But I shove that aside because even if he feels it too, I can’t givein.

We’re ships passing, him and me. Even if we can find common ground, how long can it last—a day? Aweek?

The only thing we have in common is that neither of us belongs here, and neither of us canstay.

Even if we could, we’ve never been able to stay together for an extended period of time without spinning out. Tyler won’t let me in—truly, deeply let me in—to see his hurt. I can’t be with someone who’d choose to bear his woundsalone.

“You can leave after you kiss me,” hesays.

My fingers find his forearms, digging in. His firm lips are inchesaway.

I want them onme.

“No,” I whisper. “Because if I kiss you, I can’t pretend we’re friends rightnow.”

“As opposed towhat?”

We stare each otherdown.

That I never stopped lovingyou.

That I’m falling for youagain.

Tyler shifts back, his faceunreadable.

I get out from beneath him before I change mymind.

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