Free In a Heartbeat (Heartbeat #1) by Teodora Kostova Page B

because suddenly she felt cold, even though it was getting warmer. Max took a step towards her and she had to tilt her head back to look at him.
    “I don’t want to feel that way again and I don’t know what to do. You don’t want to be with me, but it’s obvious we can’t be just friends.”
    “It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. You’re not a guy a girl uses for some summer fun, Max. And I’m leaving in a couple of months. This is not going to end well and you know it. I’m not going to put Lisa in the middle of this – because she will be in the middle, whether we want it or not. You shouldn’t want to put her in that position either; she’s one of your closest friends. Are you ready to ruin your friendship because of some attraction we might have for one another?”
    And also, my cancer might be back.
    “Is Lisa the only reason why you won’t be with me?”
    No.
    “Yes. My mum, Niki and Lisa are the last remaining pieces of my family. I refuse to hurt any of them.”
    He nodded, but it was clear he wasn’t satisfied with the answer.
    “Look, we have to try and behave like normal people. This is not normal, Max. We’re driving each other crazy and we’ve known each other for just a few days. You don’t know anything about me, and vice versa. Maybe we could try and get to know each other better. Maybe the more time we spend with each other, the more likely the attraction will wear off ...”
    “I can’t, Stella. This is all new to me. I’ve never felt that way about a girl, ever. Especially not about a girl who I’ve just met. But I know this – I won’t be able to control myself the next time a guy approaches you. I just can’t.”
    That meant they’d never be able to go out together and Lisa would be separated from her friends because of her. Guilt washed over Stella and she was ready to do anything it took to keep Max in Lisa’s life.
    And her own.
    “OK, how about this? – I promise I won’t dance or flirt or anything with other guys when you’re there.”
    He seemed to think it over before he nodded. He wasn’t too happy about it, but at least it was something. It was the resolution they needed to be able to spend time together.
    “I have a condition, though,” she said and smiled wickedly.
    “Of course you do,” he said, and grinned in return.
    “The deal goes both ways.”
    “You, jealous?” Max raised an eyebrow.
    “Maybe a little. Do you accept or not?”
    “You’ve got yourself a deal, tesoro .”
    Did he have to call her that? The combination of his voice and him speaking Italian was knee-buckling.
    “How about dinner tonight? Just you and me. We can talk.”
    “I can’t. I’m working.”
    “In the evening? Aren’t lifeguards on shift until six?”
    “I work in a bar a couple of nights a week. Why don’t you come over? Beppe will show up at some point and maybe Gia after work.”
    “Sure. Lisa’s working, too. Text me the address and I’ll be there.”

    *

    When they parted ways, Max couldn’t believe he had voiced his feelings so freely in front of Stella. He had met her five days ago, but it felt as if it was weeks – months, even. She brought out a very open and honest side of him; Max couldn’t see himself blabbing like an idiot about being jealous to any other girl he’d met five days ago. Any other girl, period. He was twenty-two years old and had had two relationships – one for almost a year, right after his dad had died, and one for about eight months when he was nineteen. There were many girls in between, but he wouldn’t call them relationships.
    And yet, with Stella he felt as if he’d never even dated anyone before. Everything he felt was new to him – the extreme jealousy; the intense desire; the hopeless dread that he might never be with her; the absolute honesty. Looking her in the eye and telling her exactly how he felt seemed like the only choice.
    Max couldn’t wait to get to know her better and to peel away every