My eyes narrowed. What in the hell? “That’s not what I said, or am saying.”

“Okay. You want to talk about this. Why are you so against it?” The words seemed to burst from her like a dam overflowing. “I’ve been your best friend since I can remember. I watched you start paying attention to girls and I watched you start dating them and I don’t think you’ve ever turned down an offer from any girl before.”

I jerked back. “I’m not a fucking prostitute, Syd.”

Her eyes widened. “But you will fuck anything that walks and smiles at you, but not me!”

“Yes! That’s what I’m saying.” I took a step forward. Her eyes were as dark as tumultuous waves in the soft glow of the candlelight. “I don’t want to fuck you, Syd. That’s not what you and I are about.”

She took a shaky breath. “You wanted me. I could feel that you did.”

I looked away, grinding my teeth together so hard I was surprised my molars didn’t break. “You don’t get it.”

Wrapping her arms around herself, she backed away from the recliner and started toward the door leading to the rest of the house. Oh hell to the no, where did she think she was going? We were so not done with this conversation.

“I do get it,” she continued, her eyes taking on a sheen that made my entire body lock up. “I’m not good enough—or whatever enough—for you. It doesn’t matter that I’ve been in love with you—” Blood drained from her face. “Oh, my God…”

The fucking world stopped. People say that shit happens when you hear something completely unexpected and shocking, and I thought it was just people being melodramatic, but hell if it wasn’t true. The fucking world really did stop for me right then.

Syd was in love with me? She’d been in love with me?

“Oh my God,” she whispered again.

I was in front of her so fast I didn’t remember moving. Clasping her cheeks, I tipped her head back so she had to look me in the eyes. “What did you just say?”

She looked like she was about to be sick. “Nothing—I said nothing.”

“Bullshit.” My eyes were wide. “You’re in love with me?”

“Of course I am.” She laughed, but it sounded like it was forced. “We’ve been best friends since forever and I would be in—”

“That’s not what you meant.” My voice dropped low and my heart thundered in my chest. That couldn’t be what she meant. “Come on, Syd. That’s not it.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You don’t—”