Page 112 of Playing a Player (Sweet Cravings 1)

"So lots of people answered your ad?"

"Just one. But she sounds great. She should be here any minute. So, I can't really talk right now."

"Just one? I guess it's just me then."

"What? No. Her name's Rebecca."

"Yup." He pushed past me and walked into our apartment.

Come on! "Please don't tell me that you're Rebecca?"

"Yeah. That would be me."

"So you have a girly middle name too?"

He laughed. "No, I made it up so you'd let me in."

"I don't want you here." I was surprised by how much I was keeping it together. Just a half hour ago I was sobbing and stuffing my face with ice cream.

"Keira, I didn't cheat on you."

"Then what were you doing?"

"This isn't how I wanted this to happen. I made reservations at a really nice restaurant last night. And I was willing to buy tickets to anywhere you wanted to go. But if you want to do this right here, then fine, we'll just do this right here."

"Talking in a restaurant or in Italy won't make a difference, Rory. I don't think I can forgive you."

"Actually it would have made a difference. But you love making everything difficult. You have this way of crawling under my skin. And even when I'm mad at you, I can't seem to stop thinking about you."

"I can't stop thinking about you either." I let the words slip out before I realized what I was saying. It was the truth, though. And I couldn't seem to think straight when he was staring at me like he was. He had a way of making me feel like I was the only thing that mattered in his whole life.

He put the flowers down on the kitchen counter. "I was scared, okay?"

"Scared? Scared of what?"

"You." He scratched the back of his neck. "Of the way I feel about you, I mean. That's why I went on that date on Friday night. I was scared of taking the next step with you. But that was ridiculous. I mean, we were already living together. Making you my girlfriend didn't even seem like that big of a step. It just seemed right."

"And that's why you went on a date with Tiffany two nights ago too? Because you're still scared of how you feel about me?" I wanted to understand where he was coming from. I wanted him to make me understand why he had done it. It almost seemed like it was somehow my fault. Like I drove him into the arms of another woman.

"No. This is coming out wrong." He scratched the back of his neck again. "I didn't go on a date with Tiffany. Keira, I would never cheat on you. I'm never going to cheat on you. I'm sorry that I hurt you before. I'm not going to hurt you anymore."

He still wasn't telling me what I needed to know. "Rory..."

He put his hand on my elbow. "You're really cute when you're upset. Please, just let me get this off of my chest."

I missed his hands on me. "Okay."

"When we were fighting the other night, everything just suddenly clicked. When you asked me if you make me happy. That's all that matters right? I've never been happier. You're it for me, Keira." He put his other hand on my cheek. "And I thought that I'd be scared of making the next step with you too. But I'm not. The only thing I'm scared of is losing you. And when we make this official, that's it. You're the one. And I want to make that step. I'm in love with you. I'm so in love with you, Keira."

Oh my God. I put my hand over my mouth.

"I don't want another roommate ever again. I want to fall asleep every night with you by my side. And I only want to wake up next to you."

"Rory..."

"And I know I'd be happiest with you by my side for the rest of my life. Keira, I want you to be my roommate forever." He got down on one knee and pulled a box out of his pocket.

I wiped away the tears that had started to fall from my eyes. "But Tiffany?"

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