7.2 Katerina

"You're insane," I said shaking my head, "and who's to say that I'll be single in five years?"

"And if you are then I'll give up chasing you" he simply replied, "Come on, let's get back inside before your parents start worrying about you."

I nodded my head and he led me inside just as his parents called him over and with a final look my way and a kiss on the back of my hand he walked away and joined his parents at the front of the room and helped his mother out her coat on before doing the same.

His words kept repeating in my head like a broken record and little did I know that his words would ring true five years later.

*end of flashback*

"Alex, I-" I started to say but he cut me off with a head skate.

"It sucked watching you with him," he said and looked down at my hands at the look in his eyes, "but what hurt the most was keeping my promise to leave you alone and not chase you again."

Remembering the talk we had that night all those years ago and the sound of his voice pained me. How could I have forgotten his promise? How did I forget the determination in his eyes as he said that when I was older he'd marry me?

"I never meant to hurt you that way, Alex," I murmured looking up at him and he only had a small smile on his face before he leaned forward and wiped a tear I didn't even notice.

"No need to feel sorry for something that was bound to happen eventually." He replied sitting back down on his chair and I cleared my throat.

"And yet my relationship with him wasn't what I wanted," I said and he raised a questioning brow at my words.

"And why is that?" He asked.

"Because he wasn't you. I tried so hard to move on from you because of all the rumors I've heard about you. Rumors that turned out to be true. You're a player that lies and sleeps around with anyone who is willing to do it" I said and he furrowed his confused and shocked at my revelation but I didn't wait for him to say anything as I added, "But even after all of that. I still couldn't forget you and just now you telling me about your promise reminded me of the reasons why I liked you so much. My relationship with Jericho was doomed from the start but I didn't want to believe that. I wanted to believe that I would be with him for a long time but the night we had sex changed it all."

"What do you mean?" He asked as he leaned forward on the table.

"Despite all the shit I've heard about you and seen you do, I was and still am in love with you and I tried so hard to believe to bury those feelings but it was so hard to do even after I was with Jericho. But those feelings resurfaced when I woke up beside you in bed after he dumped me" I confessed and Alex was shocked, to say the least, if the way his eyebrows rose up is any indication.

"You want to know something?" He asked but didn't wait for a reply as he continued, "No matter how much I tried to forget you and move on, I couldn't. Everywhere I turn, I'm reminded of you. No one could ever be you. I tried so fucking hard to move on from you but I couldn't because you were like a record player in my head that kept popping up when I least wanted you to. In bed, in the shower, hell even in the middle of a meeting you're there." I was shocked at his confession but he only shook his head with a chuckle.

"I."

"Don't Katerina. Don't say you're sorry or that you didn't mean to hurt me because I know. Believe me, I do. I hurt myself for loving someone that was unreachable" he said, "but you know what? I don't regret it. I don't regret falling in love with you or meeting you because without you I wouldn't have realized that a person like me was even capable of loving someone so much that they're willing to put their happiness before their own."

I sat and just stared at him as my heart raced in my chest. He was in love with me, but would that be enough to stop him from sleeping around?

"If you love me then why sleep around with random people?" I asked and he glanced at me with those piercing blue eyes and gave a small smile.

"Because they reminded me of you. They all had brown hair and copper-colored eyes like you and every time I looked at them I imagined you. I haven't slept with anyone since you." he replied and I could see and hear the sincerity in his voice but still, I couldn't really believe him, "you don't believe me."

"No, I don't." I replied and he nodded.

"Why?"

"Because that's who you are. A playboy." I said and he pursed his lips but said.

"That's your reason huh?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Come on then, let me take you home before your parents start worrying about you" he said as he stood up from his seat and tossed a 20 on the table and I looked at him confused by his reaction but said nothing instead stood up and put my coat on and followed after him.

"Thank you" I muttered as he held the door open to the cafe and he only nodded and walked towards the car unlocked it held the passenger door open for me to climb in and didn't even wait for me to thank him before he closed the door and walked around the hood getting in the driver's seat.

I opened and closed my mouth not knowing what to say and he reached over and turned the radio on and I clenched my hands into fists hurt that he didn't grab my hand but why would I expect him to do that though? I shook my head and looked out the window as he drove out of the parking lot and down the snow-covered road toward my house.

"Text me or email me when the next doctor's appointment is so I can clear my schedule up to go with you," Alex said once he parked in front of my house half an hour later.

"Kay" I muttered as I got out of the car closing the dork behind me. He didn't even wait for me to get inside before he was driving away and I sighed.

Ugh.

"Is the devil on his tail or did something happen that had Alex pulling out of the driveway that fast?" David asked as soon as I walked through the door making me jump since I didn't expect him to be back already from his business trip but nonetheless, I rolled my eyes.

"None of those" I replied and he raised a brow.

"Let me guess, did the playboy finally confess his feelings for you and you turned him down," he said and I chewed on my lip and he sighed shaking his head.

"Come on we can talk in my office" he lead me to his office across from his room and little did I know that my assumptions about Alex were wrong and I royally fucked up.