Beautiful Distraction(26)

I can’t believe he caught me staring.

And what’s with this guy and the sexual innuendoes?

Heat spreads to my face. I turn around hastily, but I know he glimpsed the telltale onset of a major blush.

“There’s nothing to like,” I mumble.

“Sure. So you keep saying, but I bet your panties would tell a different story.”

My breath hitches but only for a moment, until I remember Kellan’s only flirting. He cannot have any idea how much his statement is true.

I cross my legs and watch him as he places two plates and coffee mugs on the table, then plops down in the chair to my right. As he does so, his leg brushes mine. I become so aware of the sudden physical contact that my breath dies in my throat and I almost jump up, my skin seared.

“You told your friend about me,” he says.

His statement is so sudden I look up in surprise. “What makes you say that?”

“It’s a fact.”

“Yes.” I take a sip of my coffee and burn my tongue in the process. “Obviously I did in case you were a creep or stalker or whatever.”

Damn Mandy!

Why can’t she ever keep her big mouth shut?

Kellan gestures at my plate. It’s still in front of me, untouched. “Do you like your omelet?”

Trying to play nice, I grab the fork and taste it. “I do.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

I incline my head. “You should. You’re a good cook.”

“And you’re a good guest.”

“Thanks, I guess,” I mumble. “You said you got your car repaired?”

Thankfully, he pulls back, and I find myself able to breathe again.

“You can’t repair a Lamborghini, Ava.” He’s looking at me like I’m completely mad for even suggesting such an outrageous thing. “I tried and then I traded it in for a new one.”

“Ah. That makes sense,” I say dryly. “Now that you got rid of the dent, will you buy a new one if you need a tire change, too?”

“Probably,” he says, not even picking up on my sarcasm. “And how’s your car?”

I shrug. “Same old. Same old.”

“Why didn’t you take the money? You could have easily had it repaired.” His gaze pierces me with such intensity, I almost flinch.

“What?”

“I wrote you a check,” he says slowly. “Why did you throw it back at me?”

I flick my tongue over my lips, lost for words. His gaze is glued to my mouth, and for a moment, his eyes glaze over, as though he’s a million miles away, overtaken by the thoughts in his head.

What can I say?

That I would have felt cheap taking money from him? Which obviously makes no sense whatsoever.

“It was too much,” I mutter. “You weren’t realistic. Besides, I didn’t know you.”

He nods and looks away. The air is heavy with something I can’t define. I don’t know what to do with myself, so I just take another sip of my coffee.

“Are you always so—”

“Sensible? Rational?” I suggest the two words Mandy has been throwing at me for years.

He shakes his head. “No. I was thinking more along the lines of sincere and brutally honest.”

The way he sums up those personality traits makes them sound distinctly negative.

Maybe I should have shut my mouth about the tire changing part.

“So, where’s Mandy again?” I ask, eager to change the subject before we insult each other some more.

“She’s headed into town.”

“I can’t believe she would just leave without telling me. Did she say why?”

He shakes his head. “No, only that it’s urgent and that she needs something from the shops.”

I glance out of the window. It’s still windy, but the clouds are gone. When Mandy says something’s urgent, it usually isn’t. A sliver of hope colors my voice. If Mandy decided to walk, then the streets are clear and we’ll be gone by midday. She’ll be back soon, and I’ll no longer have to be alone with him.

“She should have told me,” I say, even though I know I sound like a little girl who’s afraid of being alone with her first crush.

“You were sleeping,” Kellan says, grinning.

I regard him intently. “How do you know? Did you peek into my room?” Realizing my blunder, I add quickly, “Obviously not my room but your guestroom.”

“Maybe I did.” He winks.

I narrow my eyes as I try to read his expression. His face is relaxed; his lips are twitching. “I don’t believe you’d do that,” I say after a pause.

“You’re right.” His smile slowly disappears. “Except…” He trails off and leans back, crossing his arms over his chest.