“Sorry I had to put you on the spot like that, about the girlfriend stuff. My producers specifically wanted me to ask. You know how the fans are—they’re all freaking out as their beloved Team Loco members drop off into relationships one by one.” She smiles. “The fans like to know that one of the guys is still attainable.”
“I’m not attainable,” I say, eating another grape.
She chuckles. “I feel you. I prefer being single too.” Her eyes narrow and she gives me a sultry grin. “Want to come back to my hotel room? We can enjoy the benefits of being single together.”
Damn. This girl doesn’t play around.
Meghan Hart is attractive, but she’s got nothing on Avery. “Thanks but, uh… I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She frowns. “Well, okay. I’m in room 481 if you change your mind.”
She pulls a grape from the bunch in my hand and pops it in her mouth. “And I really hope you change your mind.”
She’s got confidence, I’ll give her that. She turns to walk off and I wonder if she’s ever been turned down before. Part of me is flattered, I guess, but even if I wasn’t stuck on Avery I’d never be into hooking up with some random girl in the motocross world.
That’s not the type of guy I am. But lately, I’m not so sure of anything anymore. I used to be the type of guy who didn’t want a relationship to get in my way. Now, all I can think about is finding Avery and getting another kiss. Of doing that every day for the foreseeable future. And that sounds a hell of a lot like a relationship to me.
Chapter 18
I fly back home tomorrow morning and I feel like it can’t come fast enough. What the hell was that?
Clay kissed me!
We both agreed that we absolutely didnotneed to date each other and then he kissed me. Holy crap. I don’t know how I managed to stand up straight after what was absolutely the best kiss of my life, but somehow I did. I even made it through the entire interview, even to the part where Clay said what I knew to be true all along:
He doesn’t want or need a girlfriend.
But now the day is finally over, and the PR stunts and photoshoots are all finished and I can finally go back to my hotel room. I rush out of there as soon as I can, practically run to the elevators, and then step from one foot to the other until it rises up to the fifth floor. I sprint down the carpeted hallways, unlock my door with the keycard and collapse on my bed.
Holy cow, Clay kissed me.
And it was amazing.
I can still feel his lips on mine. Still smell his amazing cologne. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can relive that moment over and over again. And I do, at least a dozen times. And then I take several deep yoga breaths and try to relax.
I tell myself all sorts of things.
Like,stop thinking about him!
This will never happen again!
This might ruin your job!
He doesn’t even WANT a girlfriend!
It sobers me a little, listing off all the reasons I know to be true. But… that kiss! Holy crap, that kiss.
I bury my face in my pillow and scream into it. Never in a million years could I have imagined a kiss that spectacular. Part of me aches at the thought that I’ll never experience it again. Any guy I meet in my future won’t be able to compare to Clay. You just can’t beat that kind of perfection. Maybe I should just resign myself to being a spinster while I’m ahead, because after a kiss like that, there’s no reason to try to make it work with anyone else.
I check my phone but quickly remember that Clay doesn’t have my number. We’ve never talked on the phone or texted or even added each other on social media. That’s just another reason I can’t get my hopes up about him. He’s just a coworker. He’s not even a friend.
Keanna texts me an hour later.
Keanna:You hungry? We’re thinking of trying that restaurant next door.
I am hungry, but I don’t trust myself at all to be in Clay’s presence right now. I sigh and type out a reply.
Me:Nah, I don’t feel very well. Thanks, though
