“Because Iaman extrovert, even though I’m not as loud about it.”
“I’m not loud,” Cel nearly shouted at me.
“No, not you.”
“Don’t tease me. You know I’m not a person who enjoys that.”
I scoffed.
“Why can’t we just be friends?”
I felt a pang in my chest. “Is that all you want to be?”
“Eli, you have to answeryourquestion before you’re allowed to askmeone.”
“I’m just…nervous.”
“I know you are,” Cel replied, giving me an encouraging smile. “I can tell. But there’s no reason to be. It’s us. Me and you.”
I had to jump; there was no other way. “If you find someone else, I’ll stop being the most important person in your life, and I can’t deal with that.”
“Go on,” Cel prodded gently, putting down his glass and pressing his lips together to taste the wine.
My breath caught, and for the first time I thought,I’d like to taste him.
“Eli?”
“I want you to spend all your time with me when you’re not dancing.”
“I do that now,” he murmured, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at me.
“You’ve been blowing me off lately.”
“A bit,” he agreed.
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Because sometimes I want you desperately, and other times, just being friends is okay.” His smile was warm and, I noted, his eyes just a bit glazed. I’d never seen him drink so much wine. “But lately, the times when I want to be under you have been overwhelming the platonic parts. Everything you do, like wearing those sinful jeans and that second-skin of a T-shirt, is very sexy, and my thoughts turn decidedly carnal.”
“Really?” I choked out.
He nodded. “I dream about you.”
My stomach flipped over. “You do?”
“Too much,” Cel admitted, looking down at his plate.
“Hey.”
His eyes lifted, but not his head.
“Just give me a chance, all right? I know I’m not a super romantic guy, but if you could please just—”
“I don’t care about romance, Eli. I only care about you.”
“I just don’t want to disappoint you.”
“You won’t,” he promised me. “I want you more than anyone, so of course I’m going to give you a chance and wait to see if you can love me too.”