Wait...what? A heartbeat or two of silence, and then he brought his head up to look at her. Blinking, honestly kind of puzzled thanks to all the conflicting emotions running through him along with that slow burn of anger still. Besides, was she really going to make him say it?

This time his head went forward, instead of against the wall. Fighting his blush hard (and failing), he could feel the heat spreading along his face and neck. "I'm used to shoving aside attraction and crushes and stuff. I get that you don't want anything like that, and I wouldn't push it on you."

There went the last of his pride; just leave him tied in the closet to rot please.