said with vehemence. “I never have been. I never will be. It doesn’t matter how nice she is.”
“But she likes you so much!”
“But I don’t like her. Not it that way.” Ryan released Elise and firmly turned her around to face him. His hands remained at her shoulders as he determinedly captured her eyes with his, making sure he had her full attention.
“It’s you I like,” he said resolutely. I’ve liked you from even before yesterday. I’ve watched you both at church and at the library. My impression of you was always that you were sweet, conscientious, and Godly. I’d been wanting to get to know you better. When that book I ordered never showed up, I was secretly glad. That gave me an excuse to talk to you.”
“I had no idea you even knew I existed!”
“I think we’ve already established that you are awful at observing situations concerning yourself,” he said with a wry grin. “How could I not know you existed? You walk into a room and light it up. You’re very reserved, yet you are always the one helping and working at church. As I mentioned before, I pride myself on being a good judge of character. Part of the reason I got so upset about the whole Britney / flower situation is because I felt like I’d been wrong about you—wrong about the kind of woman you were and wrong about my impressions of you. Now I know I wasn’t wrong. I know that you’re everything I hoped for and more. And I’m not willing to lose this chance. I’m not interested in Britney or anyone else. Only you.”
Elise shut her eyes, battling between the desire to savor his words and the need to focus and keep a clear head. He was saying all the words she’d been waiting her whole life to hear, and yet she could not allow herself to claim them. She understood that Ryan would probably never be interested in Britney, but she also understood that it didn’t matter. She still couldn’t hurt Britney by starting a relationship with the man her friend longed for. In Elise’s mind, Britney’s affections for Ryan Jenkins, unrequited though they were, made the man forever off-limits to Elise.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered through the tears coursing down her face. “I wish I could . . . but I can’t.”
Ryan was quiet. Elise felt him studying her for a long moment, but she could return his gaze. She felt a physical, searing pain in her chest, as if her heart was breaking in two.
“Okay,” Ryan said finally.
Surprised at his acceptance, Elise’s gaze shot to his face, expecting to find sarcasm or anger. Instead, she found only gentleness, compassion, and maybe even respect, but there was also sadness.
“Elise, I can’t fault you for character traits that I find so attractive. If your loyalty, integrity, and your determination make it impossible for you to even give us a chance, then I can’t and won’t ask you to violate those. Those are some of the very reasons I like you so much.” As he spoke, he gently wiped each of her tears with his own fingers. Then he bent, pressed his forehead to hers, and closed his eyes. She knew he longed to kiss her. She still felt the invisible bands of attraction binding them together.
After a long moment, he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead, and released her. “Let’s get you home before I lose the little restraint I have left,” he said, hurrying with her back across the grass to her car.
After Ryan helped her into the car, Elise watched as he crossed the street, turned back, and waved goodbye. Elise pulled the car into the street. She fought back the tears that burned the back of her throat. If she could just make it home, her pillow would be waiting to muffle her sobs and catch her tears in Ryan’s absence.
Chapter 16
Elise looked at the clock for the tenth time in the past five minutes. She didn’t like confrontation, but this couldn’t be avoided. If she waited any longer, Britney would be gone. Though she’d wanted to talk to her friend immediately
“But she likes you so much!”
“But I don’t like her. Not it that way.” Ryan released Elise and firmly turned her around to face him. His hands remained at her shoulders as he determinedly captured her eyes with his, making sure he had her full attention.
“It’s you I like,” he said resolutely. I’ve liked you from even before yesterday. I’ve watched you both at church and at the library. My impression of you was always that you were sweet, conscientious, and Godly. I’d been wanting to get to know you better. When that book I ordered never showed up, I was secretly glad. That gave me an excuse to talk to you.”
“I had no idea you even knew I existed!”
“I think we’ve already established that you are awful at observing situations concerning yourself,” he said with a wry grin. “How could I not know you existed? You walk into a room and light it up. You’re very reserved, yet you are always the one helping and working at church. As I mentioned before, I pride myself on being a good judge of character. Part of the reason I got so upset about the whole Britney / flower situation is because I felt like I’d been wrong about you—wrong about the kind of woman you were and wrong about my impressions of you. Now I know I wasn’t wrong. I know that you’re everything I hoped for and more. And I’m not willing to lose this chance. I’m not interested in Britney or anyone else. Only you.”
Elise shut her eyes, battling between the desire to savor his words and the need to focus and keep a clear head. He was saying all the words she’d been waiting her whole life to hear, and yet she could not allow herself to claim them. She understood that Ryan would probably never be interested in Britney, but she also understood that it didn’t matter. She still couldn’t hurt Britney by starting a relationship with the man her friend longed for. In Elise’s mind, Britney’s affections for Ryan Jenkins, unrequited though they were, made the man forever off-limits to Elise.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered through the tears coursing down her face. “I wish I could . . . but I can’t.”
Ryan was quiet. Elise felt him studying her for a long moment, but she could return his gaze. She felt a physical, searing pain in her chest, as if her heart was breaking in two.
“Okay,” Ryan said finally.
Surprised at his acceptance, Elise’s gaze shot to his face, expecting to find sarcasm or anger. Instead, she found only gentleness, compassion, and maybe even respect, but there was also sadness.
“Elise, I can’t fault you for character traits that I find so attractive. If your loyalty, integrity, and your determination make it impossible for you to even give us a chance, then I can’t and won’t ask you to violate those. Those are some of the very reasons I like you so much.” As he spoke, he gently wiped each of her tears with his own fingers. Then he bent, pressed his forehead to hers, and closed his eyes. She knew he longed to kiss her. She still felt the invisible bands of attraction binding them together.
After a long moment, he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead, and released her. “Let’s get you home before I lose the little restraint I have left,” he said, hurrying with her back across the grass to her car.
After Ryan helped her into the car, Elise watched as he crossed the street, turned back, and waved goodbye. Elise pulled the car into the street. She fought back the tears that burned the back of her throat. If she could just make it home, her pillow would be waiting to muffle her sobs and catch her tears in Ryan’s absence.
Chapter 16
Elise looked at the clock for the tenth time in the past five minutes. She didn’t like confrontation, but this couldn’t be avoided. If she waited any longer, Britney would be gone. Though she’d wanted to talk to her friend immediately
Similar Books
