Stan's pulse kicked up a notch despite himself.
'Easy. Steady.'
He repeated the vow silently, the same one he'd been carrying since the disaster with Lily Xavier. 'No falling in love. Not with anyone. Not with Sophie, not with Sarah, not with Maya, no matter how beautiful, no matter how charming. That's how you end up simping again. That's how you lose control.'
He'd been doing well so far. Managing the relationships cleanly. Keeping a healthy distance between affection and attachment. Even allowing himself to enjoy the attention without getting tangled in it. Some of these girls, he fully intended to take things further with, but on his terms, with his head clear and his heart locked behind glass.
