the shadows, he turned his attention back to Ellery.
Her puddled eyes looked up and locked with his. For a moment, he glimpsed the pain behind them, and it ricocheted into his chest, his ribs clenching around his lungs. In that moment he knew he’d do whatever it took to protect her, even if it meant giving her up. He prayed that wouldn’t be necessary.
“Why are you so certain I’m going to hurt you?”
“I’m not certain.” Her chin trembled. “But if we set limits and I guard my heart, I won’t have to take that chance.”
“What can I do to make you feel safe?” Moving slowly so as not to startle her, he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“We just have to stay on the same page.” She straightened her back and cleared her throat. “We both agree this is temporary. We like each other, but we aren’t in love. And when the time comes, we’re going to part as friends.”
The same page? We’re not even in the same book.
“Agreed.” He gave a nod.
Surely I can change her mind. I just have to take my time and choose my words carefully.
Chapter 13
“Girl, you are crazy in the head!” Kara took a bite of her cream-cheese-covered bagel and chewed with the same vigor she used in her speech. “You’ve been dating for two months and you still won’t let that gorgeous guy kiss you for longer than five minutes?”
“It’s not like I see him every day.”
“You hang out with him all day on the weekends, and you have dinner together three nights a week.” Kara lifted a brow in a classic you’re-not-fooling-me expression. “Why are you so rigid about this stuff? If you’re not careful, he’s going to dump you.”
“I’m kind of hoping he will, so I don’t have to do it.” Ellery picked at the peeling polish on her fingernails.
“Now I know you’re crazy. Why do you want to break up with him?” She put her bagel down to tick off her points on her fingers. “He’s rich. He’s smart. He’s hot. He treats you like a queen. And good grief, when he watched you walk across that stage, he cheered loud enough to burst my eardrums.”
“Don’t you think I know all that? That’s the reason we need to break up.” Ellery pressed a hand against her chest to soothe the growing ache. “If I don’t stop seeing him, I’m going to fall for him.”
She was lying to herself. In her heart, she knew she’d already fallen. But if she didn’t admit it out loud, it might not hurt as much when it ended.
“What would be so bad about falling for him? Seems like the guy has already fallen for you.” Kara carried her plate to the kitchen counter and turned around to lean against it. “Why not see where it goes?”
“Because I saw the girl he was in love with before, and she was so perfect she looked Photoshopped. And I’m… you know.” Ellery waved her hand up and down her right side.
“Obviously, he’s not being an idiot, like you are. He thinks you’re beautiful just as you are, inside and out.” Kara folded her arms. “I thought, between me and your therapist, we’d stopped you from tearing yourself down about those stupid scars.”
“He only likes me because he thinks he ought to. Because he thinks I’m some kind of perfect human being. It’s like he’s using me to teach himself the outer appearance doesn’t matter.”
“It shouldn’t matter. And you are an amazing person.”
“Yes, but someday he’ll tire of being altruistic with his love life. He could have any woman he wanted. Once he realizes that, he’ll be trying to let me down gently. Ughh! I won’t be able to stand it.”
“Or maybe he’s a great guy who’s really attracted to a great girl?”
“You’re too biased. I can’t listen to you.”
“As if you ever listened to me.”
“I do. On rare occasions. Usually coinciding with a solar eclipse.”
“Exactly. But I keep giving you good advice, whether you take it or not.” She made her classic I’m-so-mistreated face. “All my wise words wasted. Discarded. Thrown to the birds.”
In dramatic fashion, Kara mimed tossing something aside, coaxing a begrudging chuckle from Ellery.
“And he makes you laugh, like I do,” Kara added. “You need someone in your life to keep you from being so serious all the time.”
“Fine. I admit he’s good for me. But I’m not what Logan needs. Even if I didn’t have the scars.”
“You’re great for him.” Kara’s