“I can’t believe he did that to you. How any man could treat you that way is just… It makes me so fucking mad. I don’t think I’ve ever been this angry.”

“You don’t need to be,” Lauren said in as soothing a tone as she could muster. She’d never heard him talk that way and, though a small (okay, medium-sized) part of her was thrilled that he was so indignant on her behalf, she didn’t want him to be upset. “I’m sorry I told you. Even though it probably would have come up eventually, since Will’s the reason I hadn’t planned on giving you a chance in the first place—”

“Whoa, what?”

Lauren toyed with the edge of the comforter. “Ever since that happened with Will, I’ve only had bad experiences with men. I’ve kind of sworn off really attractive guys in particular. You know, the super-hot ones who have no business living among us mortals. I’d pretty much decided guys like that were all conceited tools that existed only to use and break the hearts of average-looking women like me.”

The other end of the line was dead silent. A few indecipherable sounds came through, and then finally, Andrew spoke, his voice low. “Average-looking?”

“You know what I mean. I know I’m not ugly, but I’m nothing special. I don’t typically attract the attention of men like you unless they want something from me.”

“I…” he said, then stopped.

The sigh that came through the speaker was so heavy, she felt the weight on her own chest.

“Lauren.” The rough, husky tone of his voice sent a tingle down her spine. “If you only knew what happens to me every time I look at you…”

He trailed off, and Lauren’s pulse picked up speed. She closed her eyes and placed her hand across her chest, feeling the pound of her heart underneath her palm. No one had ever made her feel this way, of that she was certain.

“If I could act on my thoughts, you’d never doubt the attraction I have to you,” he said. “But I have to be honest. I do want something from you.”

Lauren waited in silence, not confident in her ability to speak.

“I want your words, your breath, and your touch. Your thoughts and ideas, and your ridiculous puns. I want to know every dream and desire you have so I can give them to you. Every single one.”

Silence.

Or, what she thought was silence.

“Are you crying?” he asked.

“N-no.”

“Damn, I wish you weren’t six hours away. Why are you crying?”

“T-that is so s-sweet.” She swept a finger under her eye to catch a tear. “I don’t know what to do when you say things like that. No one’s ever said things like that to me.”