He’s almost to her, and she doesn’t betray a hint of inner whirling like he has going on inside him. Of course she’s calm about this. Aria is a professional. Not to mention, the kiss probably didn’t mean as much to her as it did to him, even if she felt sparks.
Griffin reaches her, and Aria stops before him. She wearsjeans, sparkly Nikes that Giselle would approve of, and a sweater with a peacoat layered on top.
“Nice kicks,” he says.
Aria kicks out a foot. “Thanks.”
Without thinking too hard about it, Griffin pulls her into a side hug, then releases her quickly. “Be warned: If you go visit the bunnies, you might just bring one home.”
“Aww.” Aria almost sings the sound. “Unfortunately, we have coyotes that come through the woods, so we can’t.”
Griffin shudders playfully. “There are also puppies and kittens.”
“Did you hear I’m doing a world tour next year? When the new album comes out?”
Griffin thinks about next year, and it hits him that, by that time, he might not be seeing Aria much. Perhaps even not at all. He deflates. “You’ll have to hook me up with a US show.”
She looks up and smiles. “You know it.”
A quiet passes between them, and Griffin knows it’s now or never to broach the topic. Once they get going with the photo op, the fans will clue in to their presence, and there won’t be a private moment to talk before they’re loaded up into their separate rides home.
“About the other day—”
“It’s okay.” Aria is firm.
“I hope you know that upsetting you was the furthest thing from what I intended.”
Aria pulls her brow together. “You didn’t upset me, Griff. I mean, I think we need to discuss the kiss because it’s just not—”
“I shouldn’t have overstepped. I know you signed up for aprofessional relationship, and I always make it my goal to meet or exceed every professional ask.” It’s what Griffin’s known for in the league—his reliability.
“I’m not sure I’d call it an overstep. If you overstepped, then so did I.” Griffin’s inner turmoil cools at Aria’s mention of her willing participation. “I agree that we need to keep things professional. I, too, shoot for professional excellence, and I let you down too. We both have a lot going on in our careers, which also means a lot to lose.”
“I would never want to put you at risk of losing anything,” Griffin says. He means it, despite the feelings that he must deny himself in the process.
All of this talk of professionalism and deals and careers feels so icy against the warmth he holds inside for her. Romance or not, Griffin adores Aria in a way that should transcend all of that. Nevertheless, they’re both right. Contracts are in place. Even if he has allowed himself to become entangled with Aria like he never planned, none of that is part of this deal.
Aria turns slowly and meets his eyes. “We’re having a great time being friends, and the media, the internet, love it. I love it too.”
Griffin nods. “And I want to be clear that I love having you as a friend too. Even though we have this agreement and we’re both set on keeping it professional, I’m not faking it. You—especially the side not everyone gets to see—have lit up my life since you walked into it, opened my eyes to so much of the world I kept myself blind to. I appreciate you on so many levels.”
If he had his way,appreciateisn’t the word he’d choose, but for today it seems like the right one.
Aria’s face lights up, and for the first time today, it’s like all of her has shown up. “You’re incredible too, Griff. Without you, I might just be forever friendless. Which sounds like the title of a very sad movie.”
Griffin pulls her into a chaste side hug, but this time he holds her deeper and longer, like he’s holding on to the remains of something that’s escaping him. In the next breath they fall into their regular back-and-forth.
“So the bunny was a no, huh?”
“Regrettably. The condo board would have a fit.”
“Ifthey found out.”
“Here you go again, testing the boundaries, Wilder.”
“Isn’t that what friends are for?”
When Griffin meets her eyes, Aria’s twinkle back at him. It sends a thrill through him to see her eyes sparkle after all of the mental gymnastics he’d completed as he considered whether she’d request a hard break following the kiss. Then again, as the delight runs through him, it leaves a nagging pain in its wake.
