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into me.
    Even though that wasn’t why I was upset , I can’t help but see the irony of that statement.  Men aren’t wired to be monogamous.  It’s part of why I don’t date, but that’s not the point at the moment so I pull my hand back and set it in my lap. 
    “No worries,” I say brightly “I don’t care about that, I was just joking around.  Besides, it’s not like we’re together or anything.”  I smile at him and he frowns back.  He leans forward and opens his mouth to say something, but the glossed up groupie chooses then to show up with our pizza.
    “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asks, not looking at me.
    “No thanks,” Connor says his eyes still locked with mine.  “We’re good here.”  The woman looks over at me and back at Connor for a second, then whips her hair around and walks off with an exaggerated sway to her hips.  I smirk at her attempt to gain the attention, but it slides right back into a frown when I see that not only hasn’t Connor even glanced at the waitress, he is looking at me wistfully.  My mother would have called it mooning.  “You can’t keep this up forever Nina.  I like spending time with you and just now, we were having a good time.”  Connor says and I’m forced to look directly into his eyes.  I just can’t not look at him, no matter how hard I try.  “I know you like me too.”  He adds in a low voice.  This is it .  I sigh and smile, just a normal smile this time.
    “I do like you Connor and we are having fun.  We can hang out whenever you want.  I would like to be friends with you because, I honestly think you’re a good guy, but that’s all it can ever be.  I don’t date.  At all, I just can’t.  This isn’t something I will give on.  It’s just how it is.  And let’s face it, we‘ve only known each other a day.” 
    Connor’s eyes soften and turn liquid for a moment while he processes my speech.  Finally, he nods slowly.  “I get that there’s something you’re not telling me, but I’m a patient guy.  We’ll do this your way Nina, for now.  Your pageant girl smile and fuck off attitude may have worked with other guys, but I see right through it.  If all I can have right now is your friendship, then I’ll take it, but stop pushing me away and let me be your friend.  We may have just met yesterday, but it was one hell of a day.  Sometimes you just know someone better, faster and easier than others.” 
    My throat closes up, robing me of my words, not that I have any .  No one had ever laid it all out like that.  Guys have made passes at me and had even gone so far as to say they wanted to just be friends, but not like that.  Connor just watches me as I gather my thoughts, proving that he is indeed patient.  Eventually, I just nod at him.  Mimicking his gesture from earlier, but I don’t say anything else.  My mind is whirling and I’m afraid to open my mouth.  God forbid any of my thoughts come spilling out of my mouth right now.  I know I am taking a huge risk agreeing to be his friend when he had plainly stated that he is interested in more.  If it had happened any other way I would have ran for the hills, but I don’t believe in coincidences.  Everything happens for a reason and it seems that for now, my life has crossed with Connor’s.  At his questioning eyebrow raise, I giggle.  He can be so intense sometimes.
    “Eat your food Connor, it’s getting cold.”
      He shakes his head and does as I say.  Friends with Connor Wright .  I can do this.  No problem.  After I finish my sesame chicken and noodles I crack open my fortune cookie feeling pretty optimistic for the first time in two days.  When I pull the piece of paper from the cookie and read the words, my hands shake.  It’s a message from the Universe.  “The best relationships begin as friendships.”
     

     
    What the hell!   I reach over and grab the pillow next to me and slam it down over my head to drown