No one rejected him.

Besides, she didn’t know what to say, had never heard those words from anyone her whole life. In her 25 years, not a single man had ever uttered those words to her and meant it. Not even her father. Now, here was Ulric-the rich, arrogant guy who chased her for months before she eventually succumbed to his flirting-saying them. She’d never imagined hewould be the one to say them.

She looked up, wishing she’d already had a chance to put her light-weight jacket on. Goosebumps rose along her skin. All of a sudden, she felt so darn cold. Not exactly the reaction she’d expected to feel when a man eventually said, “I love you.”

“You don’t mean it,” she whispered, meeting his eyes.

“Ah, yeah. I do.”

She released a shaky breath. “Ulric, don’t try to conquer me like you do your business ventures.” She twisted her hands over and over, until he forcibly took them in his. Did he honestly see her as just another challenge to be conquered, or was the accusation simply her defense mechanism to his unexpected admission?

She didn’t know. Not yet.

“That’s not what I’m trying to do, Alex.” He looked away, his eyes downcast. His fingertips toyed with hers. “This isn’t the reaction I expected the first time I managed to get those words out of my mouth.” He turned his gaze back to meet hers. She’d never seen vulnerability on his face, nor was it an emotion she’d ever expected to see on this over-confident individual.

Was he serious? Maybe Alex had become so cynical, she couldn’t wrap her mind around this.