“Smart boy,” she coos, walking ahead to press the elevator button.
It’s like every urge from the moment I saw her in that skirt consumes me, and my eyes dip down her back. Each sway of her hips is more mesmerizing than the last. And because apparently I have no self-control, I scan down her legs. They’re smooth and tan, their length ending in a pair of sexy black boots. My eyes trail back up, landing on their target. Lena is gorgeous, anyone can see that. She has the face of an angel, but this is the first time I’ve allowed myself to fully indulge in every curvy aspect of her. And let me be honest, everything about her is anasset.
Suddenly, I’m staring at a pair of knees. I shift my gaze to focus on a crack splitting the ground below, wishing I could fall into it and disappear.
“Were you checking me out?” she asks, amused.
The elevator pings and opens, and I rush ahead of her as though there’s anywhere to hide inside. “I just thought I should know what my favorite part of mygirlfriendis.”
“And have you decided?”
I swallow my embarrassment and turn to face her. “Her personality, of course.”
She laughs and rolls her eyes.
We make it up to my landing and find Joss in the middle of a very tense phone call.
“Everything okay?” Lena asks when Joss finally hangs up.
“Since Graham moved in, nothing has been okay,” Joss says through gritted teeth.
“I told you he sucks. He doesn’t deserve you,” Lena says with no mercy.
Joss slumps forward, defeated.
I don’t know what to say, so I start toward my door, hoping they will follow, and they do, chattering about whoever this Graham is the whole way. When I get to the door of my condo,it’s cracked. This is exactly why I don’t throw parties. First, I check for Princess, who is happily perched on the couch, a group of girls scratching her head and fawning over her. She’s in heaven, and thank God she’s not out wandering the halls or worse.
Lena drifts past me, making her way through the crowd, acknowledging everyone in her path with a smile or a wave. It never ceases to amaze me how gracious she is. This isn’t for show. This is her. For the most part, everyone ignores her like she’s any other party goer. Most of the guys on the team are pretty high profile themselves. They aren’t as starstruck as the handful of “plus ones” that have been dragged in tonight. Despite my profession, I’ve managed to mostly stay out of the public eye, though my dating life recently has kind of destroyed the low profile I’d worked hard to keep. Being associated with a big name like Ada Lane decimated that completely. In hindsight, I now realize it’s my fault. I threw myself into the spotlight. Which means to right the balance of the world, I have to be associated with someone who has an even bigger name. That’s how it works, right? I watch as Lena weaves through the jam-packed hall and disappears into my room. That pre-game wobble emerges in my stomach again.
She’s in my bedroom.
Instead of continuing on to the kitchen, I take a detour. My heart thuds in my chest as I approach my room. Taking a deep breath, I ease open the door and spot Lena sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at her toes.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
She inhales deeply, releases it, then pops up to face me with a smile. “Your mom told me you painted the sidelines with your puke before your debut game.”
“That’s what you want to talk about?”
She shrugs. “I thought it was funny. And it made me feel like I know you better than I do. Which is important since we’re supposed to be falling in love.”
My stomach tightens.
“Well,pretendingto fall in love,” she amends.
I step closer, standing over her and crossing my arms. “And that’s what does it for you? You’re gonna tell people you fell in love with me when my mom told you embarrassing stories about my younger years?”
“I mean, that does sound a bit romantic, doesn’t it? Kinda like flipping through photo albums together and telling stories about all the years I’ve missed out on not knowing you.”
“You’re pretty nostalgic, you know.”
“I know.” Finally, she lifts her eyes so they meet mine. “If anyone asked, I think I’d tell them I fell in love with you when you took me to the candy store.”
An unexpected laugh explodes from my lips. “You like candy that much?”
“It was just really thoughtful.” She pushes to her feet so her nose is almost brushing my chest. “You better come up with a story, too.”
A story.All of this is fabrication, I remind myself. “I guess I’d tell people that I fell for you the minute you made such a big deal oversour gummy worms.”
