“That fucking asshole,” Tessa growls. “He’s just jealous I didn’t want to kiss him!”
My lip twists into a cocky grin. “Does that mean you wanted to kiss me?”
She doesn’t have to answer or admit it.
I know she did.
“Of course not!” she exclaims.
I chuckle, and my smirk deepens.
She crosses her arms with her plump bottom lip plopped forward into a pout. “What are we going to do to fix this? I’d like a plan before Gia finds out.”
“We’regoing to do nothing,” I say. “I’ll fix it.”
Her scoff fans across my face. “And you expect me to trust you?”
I smile again, with another insinuation of our kiss on the edge of my lips.
Her perfectly arched eyebrows cave inward. “Don’t!”
I turn away to hide my amusement and give myself space to take in her house.
It’s small and cozy. Much homier than anywhere I’ve ever lived. But given the inviting feel of her parents’ house, and the warmth you instantly feel when walking inside, it’s not really a surprise.
The walls are a creamy tan with random pops of color sprinkled throughout the room. Three thousand comfy pillows rest against the couch, and there are flowy drapes covering the windows that face out onto the street. I’m surprised she hasn’t closed them in fear that someone is peeking at us from the outside.
My mind wanders the longer we sit in silence.
What does Tessa Halston do on her nights off?
Does she cuddle up on this couch, swallowed by pillows, and watch some show on TV? Or does she open up a book and readuntil her eyes get heavy? Knowing her, she probably rewatches past races so she can learn every little thing about aerodynamics.
Or, what if she goes out with her friends and ends up bringing some random guy home?
My shoulders tense, and I quickly launch into a plan to ignore my last thought. “I’ll bring a plus-one to the next media-packed event. Problem solved.”
A sarcastic laugh bellows from her mouth. “And have everyone think that you tossed me to the side after onecuddlyweekend in Bahrain? Absolutely not.”
I slowly tilt my head toward her. “Do you have a better plan, Princess?”
She nibbles on her thumbnail, the thin, gold ring catching my eye. “I’ll bring a plus-one instead.”
My ears burn.
“No,” I blurt.
The word is abrupt, and I don’t really care how my refusal looks.
Tessa angles herself toward me on the couch and raises a brow. “No?”
Fuck. Think fast.
“How are you going to get your brothers to let you bring some random guy? If you haven’t heard, they’re awfully protective over you.”
She scoffs, and those warm brown eyes roll in the back of her head. “I’ll just tell them the truth.”
My shoulders tense. “The truth?”
