Page 41 of Beautiful Distraction

I sigh patiently.

What is it with this guy and his tendency to mangle mywords?

“That’s not what I was trying to say.”

“So you do,” he says.

“No, I was referring to you getting under my—” I breakoff as I realize he’s messing with me and shake my head.

“You regretted not having slept with me.”

I roll my eyes, even though I know the gesture is soimmature a guy like him will see right through it. “No. And no.” And before Ican stop myself, I add, “No!”

“Strange, because she says you regret it,” Kellan sayssoftly.

I stare at him.

Oh, my god.

I’m going to kill Mandy.

“She did?” I jump to my feet. “Where’s the phone?”

“In the living room. Not working.” He stands but doesn’tmove from the spot. “Relax. It was a lie. She didn’t actually say that.”

I cross my arms over my chest as I regard him coldly. “Whywould you lie?”

“I wanted to see your reaction.”

“Right.” I’m not a fan of confrontation. The entiresituation has my mind racing. The last thing I need is for him to think Iharbor regrets about not having spent the night with him.

“Please sit down, Ava,” Kellan says and walks around thetable. Even though I don’t take shit from men, I find myself following hisorder. I can feel his presence behind me a moment before he leans over me, soclose his breath brushes my earlobe and sends a shiver down my spine. “But youhave to admit it’s something she could have said because it’s the truth.”

“You know nothing about me.” My voice comes out slightlychoked.

Dammit.

His proximity does strange things to my body, and the factthat I’ve seen him naked doesn’t exactly help.

“On the contrary. You’re quite the open book.” With that, hereturns to his seat and pours what looks like half a syrup bottle over hiswaffles.

“Wow.” I stare at him mesmerized as he starts eating. Forthe life of me, I can’t understand how anyone can shovel down that much sugar.“Do you always eat so much for breakfast?”

“Always.” He looks up, amused. “What can I say? I’mgenerally a hungry person who likes to eat out.”

He’s not talking about dining at restaurants. I can tellthat from the naughty glint in his eyes.

My skin prickles at the implication and my heart races.

Kellan dips his finger into the puddle of syrup on his plateand holds it up to my mouth. “What about you?”

His gaze pierces mine, waiting.

The challenge is there.

I gingerly wrap my lips around his fingertip and let mytongue glide over it, then pull back.

Kellan’s eyes remain glued to my lips as my tongue flicksover them to lick off the sticky syrup.

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