Page 51 of The Exception

His brow furrowed. “You’re inviting me on a trip with your friends?”

Was she?In that same vein, she realized the thought of going on a weekend trip with a big glaring hole where her plus one was supposed to be was eating at her more than she’d admitted. No one wanted to be the seventh wheel, and Trav had mentioned more than once that he was still trying to expand his social circle. It was a win/win. A mutually beneficial situation. Something friends would do.

For God’s sake, Sonya. Just go with it.

She cleared her throat. “There’s a group of us—my three best friends, their significant others, a baby. I remember you saying you don’t really know anyone and I know how that can get depressing. The guys are always happy to have someone else to… guy… with, the space is already paid for, and it’ll be a good break from this place.”

Trav looked nervous for some reason. “Didn’t we say we were going to be just friends?”

“We did.”

“Don’t you think going away together might make that a little… hard.”

The memory of his body pressing into hers the night before made her face heat and his mind must’ve traveled to that same place because his cheeks turned bright pink.

“I mean, wouldn’t that muddy things up more than they already are,” he corrected.

“Only if we let it, besides I thought you might enjoy meeting some new people.” She shrugged. “These are the kinds of things people who are just friends do, Trav.”

And maybe it was a good test for herself. A weekend away with him would prove once and for all that she had this under control. And thathedid, which of course was what she wanted.

“But if you can’t handle it…”

He squared his shoulders, any trace of nerves slipping into that familiar smirk. “Oh, I can handle it but since the… blip… was all you, do you think you’re up to it?”

“I don’t remember it beingallme,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

“You definitely started it. I just want you to be sure that a weekend away together won’t entice you into starting anything else.”

Of all the…

How did he manage to fluster and infuriate her in the same breath?

“While I did start it,Trav,I don’t remember you trying to end it.”

His smirk turned into a genuine smile that threw her. “I’ve been known to make some really bad choices, but I’m not dumb enough to stop a pretty woman from kissing me.”

Pretty. She had to ignore that word or it was going to take her completely off track. She didn’t have time for compliments from him. They were friends, and friends didn’t get a warm feeling in their bellies when a friend said they were pretty. Period.

“Well, you won’t have to worry about me starting anything else, especially now that I have an idea of what you’re offering.”

His eyes narrowed and she knew she’d hit her intended mark. She gave herself a mental high-five.

“Excuse me, but that was just a taste of what I’m offering.”

“Even so, it’s irrelevant because you and I are just friends, right?”

“Right,” he grumbled.

She pretended to shuffle some papers on her desk so he wouldn’t see her satisfied grin. “So are you interested in coming to the lake with me or not? I need to tweak the schedule to include picking you up and dropping you off if you are.”

“I bet you have the whole weekend planned down to the minute.”

“Do you have a problem with that?” She turned back to him ready to defend the merits of a well-laid plan, but it died on her lips when she saw the way his eyes twinkled with mirth.

“Nah. I’m used to having my every minute planned for me. Just tell me what time to be ready.”

“Early. Five a.m.”

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