Reid had no idea that his so-called "comforting" approach was the equivalent of handing someone a pop quiz when they just wanted a hug.
No wonder Gwendolyn ended up into Roman's arms—she needed emotional support, not a dissertation.
Reid pushed his glasses up. "Oh, it gets worse. The phenomenon is amplified when the bad boy shows moments of kindness or vulnerability. It creates an emotional contrast that makes his attention feel more meaningful."
"So, every time Roman does something remotely nice, it just makes things worse for me?" Gwendolyn asked in a daze.
"Precisely," Reid confirmed, flipping through his book. "The unpredictability keeps the emotional intensity high. That's why women in romance novels tend to fall for their arrogant love interests—fiction often mirrors real psychological patterns."
"Damn. So, basically, Roman isn't just winning—science is on his side," Tabitha said with a tone in edge directly mostly at Reid for him to stop yapping.
