Page 28 of Rush
"What?"
"Someone hurt you. Someone made you think you're dangerous."
His expression shutters. "That's not what this is about."
"Isn't it?"
He pulls away, and the loss of contact makes me cold. "You should go inside."
"I'm not done talking."
"Well, I am."
I step forward and grab his wrist, mirroring what he did to me Wednesday night. "Don't run from me."
"I'm not running."
"You are. Every time we get close, you bolt."
"Because this can't happen."
"Why not?"
"Because you deserve better than me."
The words hang there and I realize something—he actually believes them.
He really does think I'm too good for him.
"That's bullshit," I say.
"It's the truth."
"No, it's you being scared and using me as an excuse."
His jaw tightens. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know exactly what I'm talking about. You're attracted to me, I'm attracted to you, but you're too wrapped up in whatever story you're telling yourself to actually do anything about it."
"It's not that simple."
"It is that simple. You're just making it complicated."
He looks at me for a long second, then he says, "What do you want from me, Everly?"
"I want you to stop running. I want you to admit you want this. And I want you to kiss me without pulling away."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because if I start, I won't stop. And then what? What happens when you realize I'm not what you thought? When you see what I'm really like?"
I step close enough that our bodies are almost touching. "Then I'll deal with it, but you don't get to make that decision for me."
His hand comes up to my face again, and this time he doesn't stop himself. He cups my jaw and his thumb brushes across my bottom lip.
"You feel like fire," he says quietly.
