Emotions were the luxury of others. Or so his father had told Tor time and again.
It was a good thing he didn't feel anything soppy toward Blythe. If Else had been right when she'd teased him about being in love, Tor might be bleeding inside right now.
He wasn't. He didn't bleed inside for anyone.
He stuck with what he knew. "We're attracted to each other."
"And because you are used to getting what you want, you think you can have me." The beautiful woman's voice just dripped with disdain.
Damn. She really didn't know him at all.
"I thought we could have each other." The words and tone were confident. He'd learned to put that kind of front up like a second skin, but inside rejection stung like a wasp.
"Cute, but no."
He stepped toward her, feeling the zing of mutual attraction that she tried to deny with that small closing of the distance. It was like the air between them rose several degrees, though the room around them remained the same.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked.
"Okay, yes, I'm attracted to you, but I'm not proud of that." She frowned. "You're too young for me."
"Age is just a number."
"Says the infant."
Tor stepped back, that wasp stinging agan. "I am no infant."
"No, you're a young man who thinks you can have whatever you want."
If only she knew how much he could not have because of his birth and upbringing. "You do not know me."
"And you don't know me."
"Hence this." He indicated the room prepared for a date. "An opportunity to get to know each other."
"Oh, be honest. This is a scene for seduction." Her beautiful blue eyes sparked with challenge, daring him to deny it. "You want sex."
"Yes," he acknowledged without hesitation. He had no reason to lie. He was not ashamed of wanting this woman. "But I wanted your friendship too."
"Look, Tor, even if I wanted to date a university student, which I don't—"
"I graduated with my bachelor's a week ago." There had been no celebration this close to The Royal Wedding of the Century, but that didn't mean it hadn't happened.
"Right, but you've got two more years to get your master's."
"So?"
"So…" She blew out a clearly frustrated breath. "So," she repeated. "I am not risking my friendship with Janice for sex with you."
"Sex with me would not be risking your friendship with my sister-in-law. What happens between us is no one else's business."
"Until we break up," Blythe said with a frown.
He couldn't promise they wouldn't break up. Tor didn't know how their future would roll out, but he didn't like her assumption that was the inevitable outcome either.
"I am interested in the present, not what ifs." He thought it was a good argument.
Blythe's expression said she didn't agree. "You're taking a gap year, for goodness sake. You've got no concept of real life."