“I don’t know if I’m ready to be on a stage that size yet,” I say, honestly. It’s been eating me up; I hate failure or even the threat of it.

He leans in, gently brushing his thumb across my cheek. His touch is soft—comforting. I can’t turn away. “The only thing that’s going to hold you back is self-doubt. Don’t let it.”

“It sounds so easy when you say it.”

“That’s because it is.” He drops his hand, and I have to admit I want it back.

We talk a little bit more about the project while we finish our pizza and the whole bottle of wine. Any reservations I had when I first opened the door are gone. This is natural, easy.

“Were you planning on sitting here alone all night?” he asks when the plates have been cleared.

“It’s what I do: eat, drink, and read.”

“You deserve more,” he says, softly.

“It’s not that easy.”

“What’s the real reason you moved to Chicago?” he asks. I could speak lies and half-truths, but he’ll see right through them.

I hesitate, nervously folding the corners of my napkin. “To run away from the past.”

“What was his name?”

“Why are you so perceptive?” I inquire.

“This isn’t about me.”

This is forbidden territory. A tall wall I’d never dare climb. But wine makes me more apt to accept a dare. “His name is Derek. We dated for seven years, were engaged for one. One day he decided he could live without me.”

Pierce studies my features, taking in every word. “He’s going to regret it. Maybe not now but someday.”

I nod. Months ago, I wished he’d come crawling back to me with a heartfelt apology, but I don’t even care anymore. I’ve moved on . . . I just don’t know if it’s a better place yet.

“How do you feel about him now?” Pierce asks, resting his elbows on the table.

“I’m over it. I think it started to unravel long before he ended it anyway.”

He shows his two sexy dimples. They’ve probably gotten him out of a lot of trouble over the years. I could see them getting a girl like me into trouble. “At least I stand a chance.”

“Pierce?”

“Yeah.”

“Sometimes I wish you would’ve called me sooner, or that I had called you right away.”

“Why’s that?” he asks.

“Because I would’ve fallen for you first.”

He shuts his eyes, but they quickly find me again. Brow furrowed. Jaw set. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

There’s nothing to say to that. Pierce should be my choice whether he touched me first or not. He’s gorgeous and smart. He could make me happy if I let him, but he’s the right guy at the wrong time.

Maybe it’s not too late.

“It’s getting late,” I say, standing to clear the dishes from the table.

He follows, grabbing the empty glasses and bottle. “Let me help you with these, and then I’ll get out of your way. You filled your dinner obligation, so you’re off the hook for now.”

I look back over my shoulder.

He winks.

Being with him like this would be so easy.

After everything is put away, I walk him to the door. Honestly, I don’t really want him to go.

“I’m looking forward to New York,” he admits.

“Me too.”

He surprises me, gripping my chin between his fingers. I stare up into his eyes, watching them come closer until his warm lips brush my cheek. I close my eyes, relishing in his sweetness until he lets go. “Goodnight, Lila.”

“Goodnight, Pierce.”

And as I watch him walk down the hallway, I wonder what could be . . . if maybe my heart has been wrapped around the wrong man.

No one ever said love was easy. If it were, it wouldn’t be worth it.

“HOW DID YOU GET SO LUCKY?” Reece asks as she polishes off the last of her second Cosmo. We decided to grab an early dinner and drinks before the movie, and the one and only topic of conversation has been my upcoming trip with Pierce. I miss being the one with the boring life.

“I wouldn’t call it luck. I’m scared out of my freaking mind. This isn’t a small project . . . I haven’t even had a small project yet. On top of that, I have to spend two days alone with Pierce.”

Reece rolls her eyes. “Have to? Really, Lila? The man is a god.”

“He’s just intense. And after what happened last night—”

“Wait,” Reece says, holding her hand up. “What happened last night?”

Shit. I didn’t necessarily want to bring this up. “He came by the apartment, and we had dinner.”

“No way!” Reece exclaims, eyes widening.

“He confuses me . . . I mean, the way he makes me feel confuses me,” I admit.

I think back to the night of the benefit, and the time I’ve spent with him in the office. He’s not a bad guy. In fact, if I let myself, I could fall for him.

“What are you going to do in New York?” Dana asks, interrupting Reece’s interrogation.

I shrug, not quite sure myself. “We’re meeting with a potential client. A hotel project I think.”

Dana lifts a brow. “And the meeting is going to take two days?”

“Okay, Reece One and Reece Two. I’m going to New York for two days with Pierce Stanley for business. There’s nothing romantic about it.”

“New York is romantic,” Reece says dreamily. “Have you ever been?”

I shake my head. “No, but even if it were Paris, nothing would happen.” If I don’t watch it, I’m going to be the only one who needs convincing.

“You’re a tough cookie,” Reece says, shaking her head. “No wonder you have man problems.”

“You seem to enjoy my man problems,” I chide. She opens her mouth, but when I narrow my eyes on her, she closes it.

“She doesn’t need Pierce anyway. She has Blake,” Dana pipes in.

I groan, burying my face in my hands. My life is such a crazy ride; I can’t keep up with it, let alone keep my friends up to date. “That’s over.”

Dana looks at me with question in her eyes. “What? How can it be over? I thought you guys were just fucking.” Leave it to her to magnify the crudeness.

“It wasn’t working out. Besides, the second he got angry with me he took it as a hall pass to go screw someone else he met in a bar. I’m not going to play those games with a guy who refuses to commit. There are other guys I can get benefits from without the drama.”

“Oh my,” Dana says, shaking her head.

“What?”

“I warned you, and you did it anyway . . . you fell for him.”

I open my mouth to correct her, but I can’t. She’s right . . . the only reason Blake being with another woman bothers me is because in my mind, he’s mine. Or he was mine.

“Can someone explain to me what Blake has that Pierce doesn’t?” Reece asks. “I don’t see it.”

That one I have to think about. Blake has this whole other side that surfaces every now and then—one I can’t seem to let go of. He’s the definition of a damaged man, and I think a part of me wanted to fix him . . . to find the man he is underneath.

“Pierce is successful, and when we’re together, I know exactly what I’m getting. I guess I liked the mystery with Blake. Every time we were together was different. New. Exciting. It just didn’t end the way I envisioned it.”

Reece sits with her head resting in her hand, staring at me dreamily. “You make fucking sound so romantic.”

Dana looks at her like she’s someone she doesn’t even know. “You just said fucking. We just might turn you into a bad girl yet. And you,” she says, turning her attention back to me, “the reason your benefits-only relationship didn’t work was because you wanted more than benefits.”

I roll my eyes, but deep down inside, I know she’s right. I wasn’t made for that type of arrangement and failed miserably. “Is it time to go to the movie yet?”

“Who needs a movie when we have you?” Reece asks.

“I do. You two can’t talk there.”

With only ten minutes before Pierce arrives, I push down on the lid of my small suitcase in order to zip it shut. It’s one night, but without knowing everything he has planned, I over-packed a bit—three pairs of shoes, two changes of business attire, and a dress just in case we have dinner somewhere nice.