Page 93 of Fighting Chance
My chest begins to restrict again, growing tight with the prickling sensation of anxiety.
Fuck, she really is going to go on a date with him.
Fucking bar twat.
“Kieran, you can’t?—”
“Let me take you on a date.”
Her eyes snap to mine, flicking back and forth. “But I work for you.”
“So?”
She laughs, but its more disbelievingly than anything. “Kieran, we can’t.”
“Why?”
Her lips part, her mouth opening and closing, but no words come out. “W-why do you even want to go on a date with me? Why is it such a big deal if I said yes to a date? Is it because it’s with another man?”
Yes, I want to growl, but after learning she thinks I haven’t stopped flirting with her because she rejected me, I can’t admit that the thought of her going on a date with someone else literally makes me want to crawl out of my skin.
I’ve wanted her for close to two years.
I’ve had to wait months, years, for some semblance of a relationship with her, and now that she’s in my life, the last thing I want to do is sit by and watch her fall for someone else.
Her lips purse as she studies me, and I see it. The moment a thought enters her mind and settles. It has me holding my breath as she seems to prepare herself. She drags herself to stand up taller, her chin higher.
“Fine, I won’t go on a date with him.” My smile stretches wide until she clicks her tongue and lifts her finger. “If you…help me.”
“With…?”
Her swallow is audible, her cheeks flaming, and whatever she’s mustering up the courage to say has me leaning forward with my heart in my throat. “I’ll do anything,” I whisper.
Taking a shuddering breath, she blurts out quickly, “Help me with my firsts list. Help me experience life and…teach me so I know what I’m doing.”
My heart soars, absolutely soars, only to plummet as she says those last few words.
“So you know what you’re doing,” I say slowly, so very carefully. “With…future partners?”
She nods. “Yes. I mean, you know what you’re doing with no-strings-attached relationships and I don’t particularly trust most men, but you wouldn’t hurt me.” Her large innocent eyes look up at me as she whispers, “Could I trust you to teach me?”
You’d think I’d be jumping for joy that Layla Carson is standing in my kitchen, her heart of pure gold, plush pink lips, and smattered freckles asking me to please her, but all it does is make me feel like I’ve been sucker punched.
Because why am I not good enough to date?
Why am I temporary to everyone?
What’s even more pathetic is that I want to say yes. If Layla will give me even just mere scraps, I’ll gladly take them. I’ll take whatever she gives me, because it’sLayla.
And I’ve wanted her since the moment I laid eyes on her.
Chapter 19
Layla
BELLA
did Kieran go back home?
