didn't get involved with one another."
"What? Why?" he questioned.
She gently extracted herself from his arms. "Several reasons, actually."
He cocked his head and prodded, "Go on, I'm listening."
"You're only twenty-one, Shane. I'm thirty-years-old . Right now, the whole older woman thing might seem hot to you, but trust me, ten years from now, it won't."
"Wait, you're thirty?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. Frustrated, she threw her hands in the air and groaned. He smirked and reached for her. "I'm kidding. Truth is, I don't care how old you are. Your age, our age difference, has never even crossed my mind."
"I think it would be best if we kept our relationship…uncomplicated," she said. Her eyes skated up to meet his. "You're a brilliant young man. You have your whole life ahead of you, and, well…I certainly don't have anything to offer you."
"So that's your final answer then?" he asked warily.
She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I'm afraid so. Sorry. I hope we can still be friends?"
Shane didn't want to be just friends with her. He knew that if he pressured her for more, or tried to win her over to his way of thinking right now, it would only alienate her before they even got started. He slowly shook his head and said, "Friends it is. But don't blame me when you wind up falling hopelessly in love with me."
She rolled her eyes at his over confident response. "I'll try to restrain myself," she said. She buttoned her coat and gave him a weak smile. "Will you be able to keep your hands off me long enough to teach me how to play the guitar?"
"Pfft. I'm definitely not making you any promises I can't keep," he said assuredly with a full-dimpled grin.
Star loved his dimples. Truth be told, she liked everything about him. His kisses made her insides melt and her legs turn to putty. She couldn't think of one thing about him she didn't like. Her heart squeezed inside her chest when she thought of never kissing his lips again, but she refused to drag him into the cluster fuck that was her life. "At least you're honest."
He followed her to the door. "And, Blue?" he paused until he was sure he had her undivided attention, "just so you know? I'm not like most other guys." He quickly stole a kiss before she had a chance to protest.
"I should hope not. Most other guys are assholes," she mumbled.
He laughed and opened the door for her.
Outside on the landing, she collapsed against the door and took a few calm, cleansing breaths. "Saturn, Pluto, and Mars," she whispered. She trudged down the stairs and drove home.
All the way home, she second-guessed her decision to keep him at arm's length. Was it just the age difference? Was it her fear of getting close to another man? Was she afraid of what Derek would do if he came looking for her and found them together?
Star pinched her bottom lip between her thumb and index finger and contemplated her situation. Why the hell was it so hard for her to just live in the moment? Yes, she was aware of all the things that might go wrong. But, if a relationship with Shane might end badly, wasn't there also a chance that it might not?
She let out a frustrated growl and banged her fist against the steering wheel. Dammit, Star, stop chasing after the bad and give good a chance to walk through the door. He's right there... He's knocking. Just let him in!
Shane leaned his back against the door and slid down to the floor. He ran his fingers through his hair and heaved a heavy sigh. He didn't buy the excuse she'd given him about the age difference. That was bullshit and he knew it. There was something else. Some other reason she was holding back. He picked up his guitar and played, hoping music would still his thoughts.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Derek circled the lot, waiting for someone to leave so he could find a place to park. Saturday night at Crow's Landing always left the place swarming with people, and the parking lot overflowed. He cursed under his breath and drummed his fingers on
"What? Why?" he questioned.
She gently extracted herself from his arms. "Several reasons, actually."
He cocked his head and prodded, "Go on, I'm listening."
"You're only twenty-one, Shane. I'm thirty-years-old . Right now, the whole older woman thing might seem hot to you, but trust me, ten years from now, it won't."
"Wait, you're thirty?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. Frustrated, she threw her hands in the air and groaned. He smirked and reached for her. "I'm kidding. Truth is, I don't care how old you are. Your age, our age difference, has never even crossed my mind."
"I think it would be best if we kept our relationship…uncomplicated," she said. Her eyes skated up to meet his. "You're a brilliant young man. You have your whole life ahead of you, and, well…I certainly don't have anything to offer you."
"So that's your final answer then?" he asked warily.
She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I'm afraid so. Sorry. I hope we can still be friends?"
Shane didn't want to be just friends with her. He knew that if he pressured her for more, or tried to win her over to his way of thinking right now, it would only alienate her before they even got started. He slowly shook his head and said, "Friends it is. But don't blame me when you wind up falling hopelessly in love with me."
She rolled her eyes at his over confident response. "I'll try to restrain myself," she said. She buttoned her coat and gave him a weak smile. "Will you be able to keep your hands off me long enough to teach me how to play the guitar?"
"Pfft. I'm definitely not making you any promises I can't keep," he said assuredly with a full-dimpled grin.
Star loved his dimples. Truth be told, she liked everything about him. His kisses made her insides melt and her legs turn to putty. She couldn't think of one thing about him she didn't like. Her heart squeezed inside her chest when she thought of never kissing his lips again, but she refused to drag him into the cluster fuck that was her life. "At least you're honest."
He followed her to the door. "And, Blue?" he paused until he was sure he had her undivided attention, "just so you know? I'm not like most other guys." He quickly stole a kiss before she had a chance to protest.
"I should hope not. Most other guys are assholes," she mumbled.
He laughed and opened the door for her.
Outside on the landing, she collapsed against the door and took a few calm, cleansing breaths. "Saturn, Pluto, and Mars," she whispered. She trudged down the stairs and drove home.
All the way home, she second-guessed her decision to keep him at arm's length. Was it just the age difference? Was it her fear of getting close to another man? Was she afraid of what Derek would do if he came looking for her and found them together?
Star pinched her bottom lip between her thumb and index finger and contemplated her situation. Why the hell was it so hard for her to just live in the moment? Yes, she was aware of all the things that might go wrong. But, if a relationship with Shane might end badly, wasn't there also a chance that it might not?
She let out a frustrated growl and banged her fist against the steering wheel. Dammit, Star, stop chasing after the bad and give good a chance to walk through the door. He's right there... He's knocking. Just let him in!
Shane leaned his back against the door and slid down to the floor. He ran his fingers through his hair and heaved a heavy sigh. He didn't buy the excuse she'd given him about the age difference. That was bullshit and he knew it. There was something else. Some other reason she was holding back. He picked up his guitar and played, hoping music would still his thoughts.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Derek circled the lot, waiting for someone to leave so he could find a place to park. Saturday night at Crow's Landing always left the place swarming with people, and the parking lot overflowed. He cursed under his breath and drummed his fingers on
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