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“Ivy League? Damn. Smart and beautiful. No wonder I couldn’t grab your interest yesterday.” He shot me a teasing smile.

My stomach fluttered at his words, but it irked me he assumed I was some stuck-up bitch who thought I was too good for him. “It’s not like that.”

He tossed a few more computer parts on the desk and came toward me. My pulse picked up, and the look in his clear-blue eyes told me I had every reason to feel flighty. Brandon’s fresh, soapy scent drifted over me. He stood so close I had to crane my neck to meet his gaze, but I held my ground.

“What’s it like, then?” he asked.

We were getting into dangerous territory here, but I didn’t need to give him the real reason for shunning his advances. Instead, I offered him the most sensible one. “I don’t want any distractions in my life right now.”

“And I’d be a distraction for you?” He lifted one dark brow. “I’m flattered.”

I scoffed. “Don’t be. Everything except my studies is taking a back seat.”

He made a pained expression and placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me.”

Our eyes locked, and I could’ve sworn the AC wasn’t running at all. My heart galloped in my chest. Something strange must be happening to me, because I had the irresponsible urge to move closer to Brandon.

I needed to leave.

Clearing my throat, I retreated a step and placed my coffee on the desk. “I have to check on my dinner in the oven. I should probably go. Let me know how much I owe you for the repair.”

Brandon shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything. It’s my fault it hit the ground so hard. I was a little overenthusiastic when I grabbed you.”

“I don’t feel comfortable with that. I don’t want to be indebted to you.”

“You wouldn’t be. But if you wanted to show your appreciation, we could, say, go for coffee tomorrow?” Brandon rubbed the back of his neck as though waiting for my response made him nervous.

The same way Kieran used to.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat and blinked away the painful memory. “I…I don’t do that.”

Brandon chuckled. “What? Drink coffee?” He gestured at my abandoned mug.

“No. I mean, I don’t go on dates.”

“It doesn’t have to be a date.”

“Really?” I folded my arms. “You’d be happy if we were just friends?”

“I would. But I won’t lie. I’d be happier if it were something more.” His eyes shifted to my lips briefly before moving back to meet mine. “I sensed something between us yesterday. Didn’t you?”

It was on the tip of my tongue to say no, but those words stuck in my throat. It was safer to go with partial truth. “A momentary spark is irrelevant.”

“It’s not irrelevant, and it wasn’t momentary.” His eyes remained glued to mine, and it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

“You’re wrong,” I said and immediately wished my tone held more conviction.

“Am I?” He stepped closer. A small smile played across his lips before it fell away, replaced by a look of concern. “Maybe I’ve misjudged your nervousness. Do I scare you?”

Yes.Just not in the way he meant.

I stared him down because I couldn’t explain why I was so short with him. I couldn’t tell him how I was terrified of the effect he had on me, even though we’d only met twice. How he brought forth all my fears of attachment and loss when I’d been so talented at blocking them from my thoughts.

Until now.

“I’m not scared of anything.” The lie rolled off my tongue.

“We’re all afraid of something, Sage.”