Page 40 of I Don't Need Your Romance

“Yep. You got it.” My eyes return to my book. I don’t want to be rude, but I’d really like to read right now. Maybe he’ll get the message and leave?

But he remains in his spot for a while, his head still seeming to reel from what I told him.

He leans forward, placing his hand over the book.

“Hey!”

“Sophie, I really doubt you believe that a person can experience better romance in a book than real life. That makes no sense.”

“Of course it makes sense! If an author is talented, she can make her readers feel everything her characters feel.”

“But it’s not the same as actuallyexperiencingit.”

“Come talk to me after you’ve actually read an amazing romance book.”

“I don’t need to read a book to know the real deal is better than the book.”

I lift a brow. “Talking fromreal-lifeexperience?”

“Not necessarily. Everyone knows the real thing is better than a fake one. I mean, that’s pretty obvious.”

“Nope.”

I return to my reading, hoping he’ll once again take the hint that I want to be alone with my book.

“You’re just saying that because you don’t want to admit that I’m right,” he says.

Raising my eyes to his, I burst out laughing. “Admit that you’re right? Oh, Damian Harrington Lawrence. There’s a lot you need to learn.”

“Actually, I think it’s you who needs to learn. You’ve obviously never experienced a real relationship or else you wouldn’t feel that way.”

I roll my eyes. “I know the world I live in. I know that some people experience epic romances, but those are the lucky ones. Most people will just stumble through life wishing and hoping to meet the guy or girl of their dreams. But it’s a waste of time because the guy or girl of their dreams lives in a book.”

He gapes at me like I’m talking crazy.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m guessing you’ve had girlfriends before. Have any of them knocked you off your feet? Did you experience this life-shattering romance with them?”

“Well, no, but—”

“I rest my case.” I push his hand off my book and continue to read.

“So how about a challenge?” he announces.

I once again lift my eyes to his. “A challenge?”

“Yeah. Prove to me I’m wrong by experiencing a romance in real life. If it’s not as good as the romance you read about in your books, I’ll admit that I’m wrong. But if it is better than the ones in your books, then you admit that I’m right.”

“I don’t need to prove anything to you.”

“Yes, you do. Because if I’m right and you’re wrong, you’ll spend your whole life with your nose buried in your books while everyone else around you experiences romance in real life.They’ll have the real deal while you’ll find yourself all alone surrounded by worn-out books.”

“Don’t insult my books,” I warn.

He holds up his hands. “Sorry. I’m just trying to get my point across.”

I lean back in my seat and cross my arms over my chest. “So you want to bet?”

“We don’t have to bet. It can just be a challenge to prove who’s right and who’s wrong.”