Page 17 of Be With Me

“Okay.” I could give him a few minutes. See what he had to say.

He settled back in his chair but didn’t release my hand.

“Tyler, people are going to see us.” People like his non-girlfriend. I glanced down meaningfully at our joined hands.

One side of his mouth turned up in a half-hearted smile. “I don’t care if people see us, Ailee. I like you. I more than like you. And I’m good with the whole fucking world knowing about it. My only question is, why aren’t you?”

“You left me yesterday.” The thought that was at the forefront of my mind escaped before I could stop it.

He sobered. “I did?” He answered himself before I could. “I did. And I’m so sorry. I just…I don’t know what happened. I wasn’t feeling well.”

“That’s not what it felt like to me.”

“What did it feel like to you?”

“Like you’d changed your mind. Like you suddenly didn’t know what you were doing with me.”

His eyes darkened as he leaned forward and dropped his voice. “That’s not what happened, Ailee. I was there. With you. I was totally in it. I swear this to you.”

I hated exposing myself like this, but I had to know. “Then why did you leave like you did? We were kissing and then we weren’t. And you were running out the door.”

His eyes burned into mine. “Ailee, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It wasn’t you. I swear it wasn’t you.”

Did I believe him? I didn’t know. “Tyler, what exactly are you hoping to get out of this?”

He frowned. “What do you mean? Like, what are my intentions toward you?” He grinned, lightening the mood. “Do I need to go speak with your father? Get his permission to court you?”

I felt like an idiot. “Well, yeah. I mean no. Kind of. What I meant was, is this just a fling until you get whatever this is between us out of your system?”

Reaching across the table with his other hand, he covered my fingers with both of his and looked me right in the eye. “No, Ailee. This is much more than just a fling for me.”

“What is it, then?”

“I can’t really answer that question just yet. I can’t see into the future. But I can tell you, I feel things for you, Ailee. Strong things. Scary things.” He laughed quietly, the sound so sexy I could listen to it all night. “You know, the first time we worked together, I could barely spit out my name when you shook my hand. You were so confident and poised and professional. And stunningly beautiful.” He smiled at my look of disbelief. “A little distant.” Looking down at our joined hands, he rubbed his thumb back and forth across the back of my knuckles. “Yet there was something that danced in your eyes that I really wanted to find out more about.” He pinned me in place with his stare. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that day. You weren’t available then.” He rubbed my ring finger, now devoid of any kind of jewelry. “But you are now. I wasn’t sure if the rumor was true until I saw you again. And I knew, right then, that I couldn’t let this lovely lady with so much life in her eyes get away again. Not without a fight.”

“Are you sure it’s not cataracts you’re seeing?” But my self-imposed joke fell flat.

The last trace of his smile fell from his face and he frowned. “Why do you do that?”

I raised my eyebrows and pulled my hand from his. “Because it’s the truth, Tyler. I told you how old I am.”

He let me, his hand clenching into a fist before dropping beneath the table. “Ailee, you still don’t fucking get it. I don’t care how old you are. It’s just a number. It’s not you.”

I pressed my lips together to stop myself from saying more.

“You’re worrying about a future that hasn’t even happened, yet.” He sighed heavily. Leaned forward again. “Look. Just…agree to date me.”

I crossed my arms. “Date you.”

“Yeah. You know, dinners, movies, romantic strolls in the rain.” A devilish light in his eyes chased away the shadows from my comment. He was probably thinking about wet T-shirts. “Breakfast in bed.” He paused, searching my face. “See what happens and take it from there.”

I wracked my brain for more reasons why this shouldn’t happen. But it was impossible to think straight when he was being like this.

Leaning back, he opened his arms wide. “What can I tell you that’ll convince you I’m worth it? Ask me anything, and I’ll tell you.” He gave me a devilish grin.

“Okay,” I told him. “Why did you run out the door yesterday? The truth this time.”

The smile slipped from his face. He took a sip of his coffee, and wouldn’t meet my eyes.

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