Page 118 of Beautiful Distraction

“You would never have talked to me, Ava. You made it clearthat you didn’t like me.” His gaze meets mine. The glint of candor in his eyesmakes me flinch. “And I don’t blame you.I was an ass. But I still needed to see you again. It wasn’t until mysister died that I had the courage to change my life, so I came up with a plan.I persuaded my band mates to play a last, small gig in Montana and made surethat you were picked as the winner in a radio giveaway swoop.”

In spite of the fact that he deceived me into seeing himagain and omitted most of the details about his life, I can’t help but feeltouched. No one’s ever done something remotely twisted for me.

Then again, it is quite the romantic story.

Definitely one I could tell my children—leaving outKellan’s obnoxious sexual innuendoes and the part where he went down on me inhis brother’s back yard.

And the week-long, non-stop sex.

And the part where he made himself cum, and I watched him,which probably makes me the bigger creep out of the two of us.

“I have to say, that’s the nicest thing someone’s ever donefor me,” I whisper.

Kellan nods. “I have to admit it’s also the weirdest thingI’ve done for anyone.”

“But why me?” I ask.

He jumps off the fence and shifts in front of me, settling betweenmy legs. His arms wrap around my waist. I lean into him and clasp my hands atthe nape of his neck.

“Remember the first moment I met you?”

I nod, my pulse racing. “Yes.”

Each and every detail.

“I was hypnotized—and angry as hell,” Kellan says,grinning. “When I got back to my brother’s place, where I always stay when I’min NYC, the first thing I did was call my sister and tell her everything. She saidthat I was an ass to you. Those words stuck.”

“Two women offending your ego in the same night?” I let outa laugh. “How did you take it?”

He smirks. “Don’t ask. I told her that you’re a New Yorker, andthat you bunch of folks aren’t exactly friendly. That I had no choice but to bean ass because you weren’t exactly the epitome of cordiality either.”

I open my mouth to protest, when he presses a finger to mylips.

“Remember the first moment I saw you again? Completelysoaked, with that tiny umbrella in your hand, ready to battle a storm? That’sthe first time I felt happy since Clara’s death.”

His words stop my world.

I can’t believe it, and yet I know it’s true. We both makeeach other happy. I can feel it in the way he seems to own my heart. In the wayhis eyes lock with mine when he’s inside me, holding me, possessing me.

When did that happen?

“At first, I thought someone was pulling a prank.” He grins.“When you knocked on my door, I assumed Josh was behind it. Or maybe Ryder.Maybe even Cash, even though he’s in Boston right now, and I only mentioned youonce or twice.”

“Is that why you—”

He nods, interrupting me. “Why I was so mad?”

No…why you almostkicked me out,I want to say but don’t.

“I thought Josh had arranged for you to arrive on mydoorstep,” Kellan continues. “I wasn’t mad at you. I was mad at myself and athim. Then we got talking, and I realized it was all a coincidence. To behonest, I had you pinned down as this city girl, and I didn’t know what you’dmake of seeing me here. This is my life, Ava. The plan was to meet you at thehotel, then introduce you to the idea gradually and see what happened.” Heshakes his head, laughing. “But life has this tendency to kick you where it hurtsat the most unfortunate of times. Mandy took a wrong turn, and you ended uphere. That isn’t just crappy luck. It’s fate.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “You could have sent flowers. AnI’m-sorry-for-bumping-your-car card.” I grasp for words. “You could have turnedup at Starbucks.”

He inclines his head, thinking. “And risk exposing myself tosomeone I couldn’t yet trust? I don’t think so. It’s hard to get to know peoplein the city. I was convinced you’d suspect who I was, like so many others. Thatyou’d recognize my voice. That you might be a fan and would want to be with mebecause of my image and everything it stands for. When I realized you reallyhad no idea who I was and that you’d never want to date a rock star, I thoughtthat you were an extraordinary woman. No one ever rejected me the way you did.It reminded me of the times before it all started, when I was still me.”

“So it never bothered you in the slightest that I wasn’t afan of Mile High?” I ask.

“I have to admit, I was offended…at first.” He catches myexasperated sigh and laughs. “What? I was an ass, okay? I really was. But…” Heshakes his head, his laugh dying. “But my sister’s death has made me rethinklife, the choices I’ve made. I think I lost myself along the way. It’s timethat I change that.” He shrugs and leans into me, his breath scorching my lips.“I wish you could have met her. She would have liked you.”

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