“It’s you.” Vulnerability fills her eyes. “It’s always been you.”
“But—”
“You’re my favorite part of every day.” Her fingers brush my neck. “You’re my favorite person in the world.”
“But Dean—”
“Is an idiot.”
“Yeah, but—”
“We’re only friends. Ryan, I’d tell you if there was anything between us. If there’d ever been anything between us.” She stares into my eyes. “There hasn’t.”
“It’s me?”
“Is that really surprising?”
Yeah. It’s incomprehensible. “You let me believe it was him.”
“I told you it wasn’t a million times.”
“You let me believe it was someone else.”
“I wasn’t ready to risk losing you.”
“You’d never—”
“Yeah, I would. If you’d known, you would have locked me out. To help me get over you.” Her hand knots in my hair.
She’s right.
I’d do anything to protect Leighton.
Even something as awful as backing away from our friendship.
“You, um…” She presses her lips together. “You aren’t saying anything.”
“It’s really me?”
“Yeah.”
“For how long?”
“Since the day we met. But that was a crush. Now that I actually know you…” Her eyes bore into mine. “Are you really over her?”
“Almost all the way.”
“Do you think about me?”
“I try not to.”
“But you do anyway?”
My nod is heavy. “You?”
“All the time.” Her eyelids press together. “You need to kiss me now.”
My eyelids flutter closed. I pull her closer. Let my lips brush hers.