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She sighed "You shouldn’t have co in her voice A distance, he thought, and felt the licks of a newfound and very unwelco his throat Panic

She apparently didn’t have the same problem "We’ve said all that needed to be said," she told hi her to face hi because she was stiff as a board "I didn’t co her face "I wanted to be with you I’ve wanted to be with you since day one, when you saved ured it out That class wasn’t hard"

"I don’t mean the stupid class," he said "Iit ever since Keepingo after what I want And what I want, Mia, is you I want you in aze for a long beat "When I asked you to this wedding," she finally said, "I really just wanted your co for--"

"I knoas an idiot, Mia"

She rolled her eyes again but definitely warmed toward him "Look at us," she said "Two ridiculously scared peas in a pod"

He shook his head "Scarred, maybe Not scared I’m not scared of this"

"Well, that ht I knehat and ere But I rong"

"I screwed up"

"No," she said, shaking her head "No one can blaht I was ready, but the truth is, I’m not even sure what a real relationship is" She paused, and a frightening soleiven away once I’ve rew up loved, so I knohat it feels like Now I havebut acceptance I even had a teenage love that I have nothing but fond memories of But the fact is that I picked these relationships I found my birth parents I forced my way into their lives Hell, I forced myself on Carlos, for that matter He had no choice; he never knehat hit hi, Nick, and--"

"--And for once you want to be picked," he said softly "I know I’ you, Mia"

"No, listen to me…that very first day when you strolled into class? There were two girls sitting in the seats on one side of me and my backpack on the other I saw you come in and my heart stopped" She put a hand to her chest as if it ached "I told the girls that James Franco was in the back row, and when they scampered off to check, I quickly kickedit look like I had nearly a whole row to myself so you’d take one of the seats And then…" She sucked in a breath "Then I broke the cardinal girl rule"

Nick was confused "Girl rule?"

"I didn’t wait three days to see if you’d contact me I made sure to run into you the next day with brownies I threw myself at you, Nick Don’t you see? You had no choice"

He stared at her for another beat and then laughed

She smacked him "I’m serious!"

"So a clear in his voice "So now you listen Mia, I think of you froht You make me s You make me frustrated as shit, and I honestly can’t see ht now, and that’s okay I can wait for you to catch up"

She shook her head "I’ was your fault, but now I’ed yourto be a counselor, Nick How can I be a counselor when I’ idiot"

"No, you’re the smartest woman I know And if anyone’s the idiot, it’s ht have e my mind, Mia I always knew"

She stared at hi her temple He couldn’t help himself "I just didn’t kno to make this work," he said

"And you kno?"

"No, but I want to figure it out Together Mia, I heard back about the job"

Her breath hitched, and she stared into his eyes "You got it"

He nodded, taking in her expression She was happy for him He could see that clear as day Past any sadness for her own heart, her relief for hi her close, he buried his face in her hair Carlos was right Neither of them deserved her, hi to tell you about it at dinner the other night, but then I couldn’t"

She pulled back and stared into his eyes "Because you thought I would hold you back?"

"No" He tightened his grip on her "I knew you wouldn’t But you were talking about us going skiing next month, and then on a Valentine’s Day trip I want to do those things, but I probably won’t be able to And I didn’t kno to tell you"

"So you told ?"

"Notto be a challenge for us, but it can work Tellfor s for you, Nick Probably too " She turned away from him to the controls and adjusted their course "It’s just too complicated," she whispered "You shouldn’t have come"

"I’ll always come for you"

Chapter 7

Mia kept her eyes on the horizon, but she didn’t have to turn around to know that Nick was there, right at her back, so close that a sheet of paper wouldn’t have fit between them

"Anchor us," he said

Her heart sped up, in reaction to both his low, sexy voice and his proximity Her body always reacted to his like this Zero to sixty This condition wasn’t iered "Nick--"

Hison the nape of her neck to hold her steady "It’s my turn to be the boss, Mia"

She had no idea what it said about her that this made her quiver in anticipation, but she hurriedly steered the her to face him, Nick took her hands in his and directed them to his chest Unable to help herself, she let the her head, she found his eyes on hers