Page 85 of Tangled Up In You

“That intensity means it’ll burn out that much faster, though.”

“And then what?”

“It’ll die.”

“No, don’t die Vega!” she pleaded, only half joking. “I’d miss it.”

“Well, when stars die, they don’t really go away. They sort of reincarnate. Their material creates other space formations.”

Sophie turned on her side, resting on an elbow so she could look at him. “How do you know so much about this stuff?”

He glanced at her, then back at the sky. “I can be clever.”

“You’re more than clever, and you know it. I wish you wouldn’t hide this part of you so often.”

Now he moved so he mirrored her pose and watched her with eyebrows raised.

“It’s like you pretend to be just the ‘rock star’ always chasing girls, but there’s so much more to you.”

“But I am a rock star and I absolutely adore chasing girls.”

“You’re also smart and thoughtful and caring.”

“Ah, Gavin’s the sensitive one in the band. There’s only room for one,” he said with a smirk.

“Be serious,” she said and touched his arm.

She saw him look down at her hand and linger on the connection. Before she could process what he was doing, he leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers. She was stunned motionless but aware enough to think his kiss surprisingly sweet and gentle.

It only lasted two seconds before he moved away and jumped up, pulling her with him in a rush.

“Feel like a dip?” he asked.

“What?” She was confused. Confused that she hadn’t been the one to pull away from his kiss. And confused by his sudden change of mood. After sensually, albeit briefly, kissing her, he was now … playful?

“Water’s warm—even now,” he told her and without warning, he scooped her up and over his shoulder.

Sophie screamed in protest, but quickly collapsed into a fit of laughter as he swung her around teasingly, going knee-high into the water.

“You throw me in and I swear to God you’re coming with me!” she said.

“We’ll see about that,” he replied.

As he attempted to hurl her back over his shoulder and into the water, she wrapped her foot around the back of his knee, buckling his leg so that he came crashing down on top of her. He ended up pressed between her legs and they both laughed for a moment. When they grew quiet, he met her eyes and she saw the desire there.

Locked into his gaze, she felt the heat between them. For the first time, it wasn’t just him wanting her.

He was gorgeous and sexy as hell. There was no denying that she was attracted to him.

And there was no denying that he could see she felt that way. He was watching her with a small, knowing smile.

When he moved to kiss her again, he only got as far as brushing his lips against hers before she put a hand to his chest to stop him.

What was going on here? So what if they were attracted to each other? That didn’t mean something would actually happen between them. She knew that. Didn’t he?

“Whatever attraction you have for me—it’s not going to happen,” she said. This declaration was as much to herself as to him but she couldn’t admit that to him. “Okay?”

His laugh was dismissive as he stood up. “Honey, relax. I was just messing. Too much drink. Too much weed. You know, you were chatting me up, so I acted like I was falling for it. Didn’t know you’d take it so serious.”

---