He looked over at all the people in the security line, and everyone was watching. By now most of them had their phones out, recording, and there was no missing the chattering about who he was. All of this would be on social media in minutes if it wasn’t being live broadcast already. Normally this was exactly the time when he’d walk away, get out of the spotlight as fast as he could, but he wouldn’t risk walking away from Shelby ever again. Being with her was worth whatever judgment came down from the Harbor City sports media, fans, and anyone else. The only person’s opinion besides his own that he cared about was Shelby’s.

He had no idea what to say to fix his fuckup, but he knew the most important part. “I love you.”

She dropped the shoes she was holding and lost her grasp on her suitcase. “What?”

“I know,” he said. “I was surprised, too.”

Her eyes rounded and a loud “ooooooooh” went up from the crowd. The older woman in the TSA uniform on the other side of the do-not-cross line rolled her eyes as she shook her head.

“Wait.” He held up his hand and prayed like hell that Shelby wouldn’t just walk away. “That came out wrong. Fuck me, this is why I don’t talk.” He took a deep breath and tried again. “I didn’t plan to fall in love with you, but really I should have expected the unexpected when it came to you after you Tased me in the cabin.”

Another “oooooohhhh” from the crowd grew louder, and with everyone recording, there was no way that part wouldn’t end up on the news. Way to go, Petrov. “She thought I was a burglar who’d broken in—it was totally justified.”

Satisfied she wouldn’t end up arrested for assault, he focused back on Shelby. “You’re funny and smart and you push me when I need it. I know you don’t love me, but I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance, that you’ll at least be open to the idea of dating and seeing if your feelings change. I think it could really work out.”

Her chin was wobbling and her voice shaky, but there was no misunderstanding what she said next. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”

Her statement hit him like a Mack truck followed by a herd of water buffalo in mid-stampede.

“I do love you,” she said.

Shock didn’t begin to cover it. More like what-a-pair-of-jerks-they-were.

“That’s why I had to tell you we couldn’t…” She glanced over at the crowd, her cheeks turned pink, and she focused back on him. “Well, we couldn’t anymore. I was afraid that I would just keep falling more in love with you and you’d leave me with a broken heart.”