Page 50 of I Can't Help It

“Well,” I drawl, placing one of her other checkers on top of this one, “what qualifies as really good?”

“I don’t know. How about something you’ve never told anyone before?”

Something I’ve never told anyone before.

It could be so many things.

I think Wyatt wants you back. I hate that it feels like we can’t be together. I love learning more about you. I wish I met you before Wyatt did.

But I’m not going to tell her any of those things. Telling her even one of those things would be a bad idea.

Instead, I settle on something a little simpler.

“You’re my favorite coworker,” I say, making sure to look at her eyes and not her mouth. “But don’t tell the others because I don’t want them to get jealous.”

She grins, obviously pleased with my answer. “You’re my favorite coworker too.”

Once we’re done playing checkers (I won both rounds, FYI) and we start climbing upstairs to the second floor, I become painfully aware of how awkward it’s going to be sharing the room now that we’ve gone on a date.

And kissed.

A normal first date would end with me dropping Ava off at her house, and then escaping to my own house. I can’t do that though. I have to stay and suffer the consequences of my actions.

“Thank you for tonight,” Ava says as we near the room. “I know you have your doubts…but this was good, right? We’re good together, Luke.”

We’re so good together that it’s scary.

But no matter how good it’s been, there’s still a glaring problem I can’t ignore: she’s his ex-girlfriend.

Just because I was able to pretend for a little while that she never dated Wyatt doesn’t change the reality of our situation.

She gives my hand a little tug while looking at me expectantly. “Say something.”

I know I told myself that I wouldn’t ruin tonight for her, but the thought of leading Ava on more than I already have doesn’t sit well with me. Things need to be clear between us before we’re back in this room together.

“Ava,” I start, letting my thumb graze over her knuckles, “I want to be with you. I like us together more than I should. And if things were different—if Wyatt wasn’t my best friend—I wouldn’t hesitate to make you mine.”

I wish you were mine.

And just like that, I cause all the warmth and happiness to vanish from her eyes.

She snatches her hand away from mine. Then she unlocks the room. Tosses the door open. And storms inside.

If I thought she was upset earlier…

I follow her into the room and close the door behind me. “Ava, listen—”

“I’m going to sleep!” she announces, grabbing a bundle of clothes from her suitcase. “Do you know why I’m going to sleep?” She doesn’t wait for a reply. “Because you’re making me crazy! And not in a good way!”

She proceeds to grumble under her breath, but I keep my distance, just in case going over there will make it worse.

“I’m sorry, Ava. I know you probably think I’ve been leading you on—”

“The best kiss you’ve ever had,” she huffs, glaring at me as she marches to the bathroom. “That’s what you told me! And then—AND THEN—you even told me that you felt like the luckiest guy in the world because we kissed!”

I wince as she yanks the sliding door shut with a loud thud.

Wonderful. I love how well this is going.

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