UNYIELDING HEARTS

AURORA'S POV

"It's not you, it's me," Reed says, looking at me across the table in this way over the top, and entirely too expensive, FloriBella restaurant.

"I just need space."

I blink a few times as my brow furrows trying to take in all that he is saying.

"I really don't want to hurt you, Aurora."

Hurt me? I've only been seeing the man three weeks. What! Does he think that I've actually fallen in love with him in that small amount of time?

Ridiculous! Then it hits me.

"But it's Christmas," I blurt out.

He doesn't miss a beat, and it's obvious he totally doesn't understand and thinks my sudden outburst has way more meaning behind it than it really does.

"We can stay friends," he suggests, lifting his glass of red wine to his lips. I notice as his eyes wander as I look over and notice him taking in a busty female from a few tables over that actually has the audacity to wink at him and flirt in front of me.

Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the man in front of me and try and focus on what is happening.

A breakup, a little under two weeks before one of the biggest holidays of the year, and only 24 hours shy of when me and Mr. Arrogant across the table were supposed to be leaving for his parent's house in Toronto.

Reed's eyes find mine again and he says, "Staying friends could have its benefits."

His foot rises under the table and he suggestively rubs it against my calf.

I snort, hell I can't help myself. Yeah right, benefits? I didn't know he was such an asshole.

Reed's eyes wander once again and find the woman's stare from across the room and I have to hold myself back from lunging across the table and punching the bastard in the face like I want to.

"Benefits for who, Reed? Because you always were a shitty lay," I force out through gritted teeth. "Don't think I'll be coming back for seconds on that one. Thanks, but no thanks."

His eyes snap to mine before he sits up a little straighter. "Watch it! Lord knows you don't have enough to pay for this dinner tonight. I should drop your poor ass with the check, and we'll see just who will be calling who later, Sweetheart."

He sets his wine glass back down on the table and starts to cut through his steak as the fire inside me explodes and I find it almost impossible to hold back on my earlier thoughts of punching his lights out.

Maybe gouging out his dark brown irises would be best. Would definitely help to save some other innocent female from his nasty habit of wandering eyes.

I take a deep breath and decide it's now or never, telling him off that is, not the eyes gouging bit - and hell if I've never been the girl to wait for anybody to give me a signal twice.

Standing, I adjust my dress and grab my clutch and jacket from the booth. "You're right, Reed. Maybe I will call you later."

His eyes smile as the smug bastard actually thinks that he has won.

"But you know," I say, leaning forward so we are eye to eye as I stand next to our table. "My poor ass prefers the company of a man who actually knows how to please a woman. Not a little boy who lives off Mommy and Daddy's trust fund."

I purposely hit his wine glass, causing the red liquid to spill all over the white table cloth and his white dress shirt.

As I turn to leave, the long line of obscenities thrown at my back makes me crack a smile and giggle.

I notice the girl from a few tables over rise and make her way towards him just as I pass a few waiters rushing past me to his rescue.

He is all yours, Honey! Enjoy! Not that any woman ever would!

I roll my eyes to myself knowing the poor truth the girl is about to stumble on, and then smile thinking it's perfect karma already kicking them both in the head.

After all, justice always feels too damn sweet. Serves the guy right. I should have known better than to let my boss set me up with one of his old college buddies.

My boss at the makeshift job the bureau set me up with, that is, while I've been stationed in New York on assignment.

Stepping outside, I wrap my warm coat around my shoulders as the chill in the air startles me. Opening my clutch, I pull my phone from inside as I make my way to the curb to hail a cab.

Working for the FBI has its benefits. Bouncing all over the place and moving around from town to town is not one of them.

Luckily, with no family to call my own, the toll is less on me than some that are in my line of work. Although, I can't deny that this time of year my reality really sucks and I'd do anything to not spend another holiday season alone. But Lord, that would take one hell of a miracle.

Figures! It's Christmas and this "lonely poor girl" has nowhere to go.

The lonely being true. Poor, not so much since the bureau makes sure I am paid more than my fair share, especially since I am not on the, shall we say "normal," payroll.

Since growing up bouncing in and out of foster care the last year before my 18th birthday, I always wanted a nice family Christmas and thought this year I might actually get the chance to have one. No such luck I guess.

But if I am being honest with myself, I wasn't really into the guy anyway, and it was probable the one excuse that kept me hanging around as long as I did.

His crappy frat boy attitude and lazy bedside manner the tip of the ice berg, and I am sure that we would have broken things off once the holidays were over anyway. Actually, he saved us both time and effort neither of us really wanted to put in the more I think about it.