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"You’re a strong woman" He took my hand in his "I’m so sorry about your parents"

"And they died in a car crash, by the way" I sighed "They were driving to Miami to see me They wanted to surprise ht"

"It wasn’t your fault" Zane looked at me in concern

"It was a se and cut across the interstate The police told ivesago was this?"

"About a year and two o" I bit my lip I had been devastated, unable to function And when Justin had du in on ht that I would never escape the pain that consumed me and kept ain give myself to a man who didn’t truly love ive away lightly But at least I was still open for love, I thought to ine what it would be like to be so crushed that love would never be an option in ine what amount of pain would ain Or maybe the problem was that he had never really experienced love Maybe he didn’t knohat he was uess we’ve both been through the ringer and back"

"I guess so"

"You’re a special girl, Lucky I know I’ve told you that before but I want you to understand how much I mean it I’ve never really met anyone like you before"

"You don’t really know htly delirious and uncomfortable at his words

"I’ve watched you for months in the restaurant" He smiled "You are always happy, always friendly I’ve heard you talking with your co-workers, giving the shifts You’ve always been pleasant when you’ve seen irl in there every week"

"I understand why now"

"No, no you don’t" He frowned "But that’s okay You don’t need to know"

"Okay" I pulled my hand away from him I was hurt by his words It seemed to be a one-way street with hihts, but he always see to hold back I wanted him to tell s he tried so hard to keep inside But I didn’t want to force his My heart hurt slightly as I sat there I was falling for Zane Beaumont and I knew there was no e could ever have a happy ending

"Lucky, Iyou deserve in a boyfriend, but I can be your friend I want to be your friend" He took a deep breath and his eyes looked so serious that I felt my body tremble at the intensity of his words "I think we have a special connection, you and I And yes, I’m attracted like hell to you, and yes, I want to make sweet love to you, but it’s ive you my heart and I don’t want yours, but I want to be there for you In as , I feltout for a position in a For team I wasn’t sure how to respond to him One part of me wanted to reach over and kiss hio, but another part of nizant of the fact that he had clearly told me that I would never have his heart and that he didn’t want me to fall in love with him either There was no future in a relationship between the two of us After everything I had been through, I didn’t know if I could survive being in a relationship with Zane that would never go anywhere But he’s never known love, a little birdie whispered in my ear Maybe if you show hie his mind

"Did I scare you, Lucky?" Zane looked at me orry in his eyes, and I shooket an answer out of you?" He joked at

"You better not buy a paddle I don’t think my behind could take it"

"Just htly slapped his ar of htly, unsure of uess I just want to see what happens?"

"Won’t it be weird? Me working for you, living with you, and kind of seeing you?"

"Only if we let it be weird"

"I guess" I bit irls, but I was scared It wasn’t like he was asking to beother people?"

"I can’t answer that for you" He rubbed his face "However, if you are sleeping inanother man"

"Zane" I looked around the airplane, e

"I don’t share" He spoke softer this tioing to have hed at the look on Zane’s face as he heard my response

"Just okay? No yes or no?"

"I have to think about it" I s as it’s been a long day, you can watch your movie"

"Why thank you, kind sir, I do appreciate it" I spoke in reeable, hed and leaned over and kissed me on the cheek "A man, such as myself, likes a woman to be soft and pliant" He whispered inme I kissed hiet used to these eles" Zane grinned atspace

"I can’t believe you let " I yawned as I stretched in uess so" I stepped out of the car and looked at the building in front of rand Spanish house "You said you live in a condo?"

"It doesn’t look like a condo, does it?" He grinned

"No It doesn’t"

"I decided to bring you to s and I followed hie in destination

"No reason" He opened the big wooden door and I followed him inside I was immediately struck at how different the interior of this hoolden brown hardwood that ran from the front door all the way to the French doors at the end of the large rooarden outside, and it looked lush and green with different plants and flowers The lights at the back coupled with the ical "Welcos down and ushered me in properly

"Thanks" My voice was ss I was in awe at just how perfect his hoht of e throw pillows that see on the floor There was a huge fireplace to the right of the rug and on top of the s all along the walls, but I didn’t recognize any of them from any of my art classes or trips to museums

"Do you like?" Zane asked me quietly and I could sense that he was really interested in ushed "It’s so different from your place in Miami"

"That’s really Noah’s place" He explained "This is ned it This is ht anyone here before"