He grins ear to ear, a myriad of expressions shifting across his handsome face, overshadowed by a wicked satisfaction. Slowly and with confidence, he speaks as if he’s uncovered a deep secret inside of a hidden tomb. “I’m your fantasy man, then.”
I chuckle and groan. “Oh,whatever. Anyone watching you enough, at my age back then, would have felt the same.”
Holy crap does it feel better now that it’s out in the open, especially since he seems amused by it.
He chuckles, swiping his thumb along his chin, and nods, lost in his reflection. “That’s fucking gold.”
As I rake my gaze over him, I desperately reach for a smooth recovery, but when I stare into his eyes, the same tension from over a week ago—in Andrew’s home—is out in the open, sitting between us.
In a subtle way, I did break the ice, and he clearly wants to edge closer to the dark waters that lie underneath.
So do I.
Ryder is the one to break eye contact, although rather than appear disinterested, it’s as if he’s reached the conclusion of a long battle he’s been waging. He looks around, like he’s confirming our solitude, before glancing back at me. “Go to your room? We clearly need to talk.”
I know I shouldn’t; I know this will start a rolling snowball that will crash at some point—either Andrew will find out, or the truth will eat at me about how I am playing with fire right next to Jeremy’s paper gym.
“Yeah,” I breathe out, my insatiable, perilous desire winning out. “Yeah, let’s go.”
J U L I E
* * *
Piercing blue eyespeel back layers of complexity, and the man rises to lead us toward the hotel. I take in Ryder’s back with a new perspective, the line between us so blurred that it doesn’t exist; I can only think about touching him in novel ways.
I am so tempted to meet Joey, rather than Ryder.
And if he rejects me, then fine. It’s best to do it now before I develop a real affection for him.
The warm air of the hotel pushes away the cold, and we loiter like the rest at the elevator; the hotel is packed for the event over the weekend.
Everything intensifies when neither of us looks at the other.
We both know where we are going and why.Manyeyes are on Ryder, and I’m sure our quiet determination probably helps sell the image that we’re here for business, rather than going to up to discuss… well, whatever is about to be “discussed”.
The doors to the elevator open, a group spilling out as others wait to refill it. Ryder pays very little attention to the fans, and I follow the fighter as he enters. We stand to the side, with him against the elevator wall and me standing in front of him.
His cologne permeates, even if it’s subtle.
The tension is so thick that I struggle to breathe. I’m trying to contain myself, knowing there’s a chance he wants to keep things platonic due to the competition. And honestly, I still know I have to handle the gym.
Despite all of that, I hope he wants this. More than just for the fact that I want to do every filthy thing with him. My crush is clearlyallabout him, down to the laugh he gets when something catches him by surprise.
The elevator fills with enough people that I’m pressed up against his hard, warm body. Even that feels different now. Especially since he doesn’t move or try to create space between us—he just lets me press myself against him.
Flickering sparks ignite deep against my bones, permanently etching my infatuation into my being.
He’s my celebrity crush, after all.
I’ll never forget this.
We shuffle one more time as the last person squeezes in, and this time, Ryder places a hand on my hip to scoot me further inward against him. That already burning fire turns into scalding flames, my stomach knotting and twisting with anticipation. I am painfully aware of that hand...
He doesn’t take it off once everyone is inside, either.
The elevator is quiet, save for some giggling in the opposite corner and others telling Ryder they can’t wait to see him fight. The fifth floor is maddeningly far away, his handstillon my hip, unmoving.
My heart pounds when the light glows for the my floor. Silence shrouds us as we exit, though my mind is blaring.
