Page 14 of A Geek Girl's Guide to Kissing a Video Gamer
“True.”
“No, I’m not seeing anyone. Are you?”
Sadie scoffed. “You’re being sweet to even ask. No, obviously I’m not, and I’m not looking for a relationship. I’ve got too much going on right now to give that aspect of my life the attention it needs.”
Xavier’s heart did a nosedive. She wasn’t interested. Message received. “Okay, well, then we’re both single and not looking.” It was a total lie, but he didn’t want her to feel pressured to date him just because he was helping her.
“I just…I can tell you’re a great guy.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t want you to get the wrong impression or to feel like you have to help me.”
“I know I don’t have to. Really,” he said, holding up his hand. “It’s okay. I don’t mind at all, especially when I know I’ll get a game night with the infamous Sadie Baylor. That’s worth more than a trip to St. Augustine.”
Her cheeks darkened. “You know, you’re very charming.”
Right. Charming. Not even. “Yeah, no. Seriously, let me take care of it. I have a private jet, so we can take that. I have a favor to call in with a buddy there for a hotel room. Honestly, I was going to the exhibition anyway. All this means is I won’t be going alone.”
“Okay, but when I get my company back, you’re getting a sweet deal. Okay?”
Xavier smiled wide. “I’ll take that deal.” Man, if only the deal included going out with her.
He needed to get that out of his head immediately. She needed his help, not his wishful thinking. Getting her to the conference so she could get her company back was all he was doing. Romance was off the table. Besides, that’s not what she was looking for anyway.
One thing was certain: he was lonely. Once this little venture was over, he was going to get back out there. Having dinner with Sadie had only cemented that feeling. He wanted love, and it was time to take life by the horns and make it happen.
Chapter 9
With her leg bouncing, Sadie looked around the plane while she waited for Xavier. He’d been delayed by something that morning, but she wasn’t going to complain. He’d been kind enough to offer to fly her to Florida and arrange for a hotel. Waiting patiently was the least she could do.
The plane was so nice. Nicer than anythingshe’dever flown in. It was small, only six seats, but still plush and comfortable. Plus, there was no pat-down. She’d been picked up in a limo, driven to the hanger, and escorted straight to the plane while her luggage was loaded. Now that she’d experienced it, going back to coach would be gnarly.
Poppy had spent the weekend speculating on Sadie’s single status once the exhibition was over. If she wasn’t talking about how cute Xavier was, she was relishing the awesome moment when he’d put Buck in his place, demanding Sadie get seventy percent of the company and asserting that his lawyer would take care of him if he tried anything. She couldn’t deny Xavier was cute or Buck’s wide-eyed stare at Xavier’s threat. It had been more than awesome.
A motion at the door caught her attention, and she smiled as Xavier entered. “Hey,” she said. He sure looked great. A nice polo and blue jeans with a backpack slung over his shoulder. And as he approached her, that same cologne he’d previously worn filled her senses. Wow. It was addictive stuff.
“Hi. Sorry I’m late.” He slid his backpack off and took a seat next to her.
“It’s okay.”
“As soon as they get my luggage on board, we’ll take off.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Um, this is gonna sound weird, but do we need to discuss…us? I mean, I know there’s no us, but the fake us. The us who Buck—” His cheeks grew pink, and as he rambled on, they grew darker.
Sadie giggled. Oh, he was just adorable. “I thought about that too.”
He let out a puff of air. “Oh, I’m glad I’m not the only one.”
“No, totally not. I figured we’d spend the flight working all that out.”
“Yeah, um, a slight change of plans.” He winced.
Sadie knitted her eyebrows together. “What?”
“Well, I wanted you to be as close to the exhibition as possible, so I found us rooms, only they’re in the same suite.” He quickly added, “And I tried other hotels, but they were booked. I had no idea there was a Cinderella/Bon Jovi concert going on during the exhibition.”
Holy smokes, he was so cute when he blushed. “That works. We were planning on having a gaming night. Or we could even have more than one. Unless you like going to clubs or want to go to that concert.”
Xavier shook his head. “No, I hate clubs. My last girlfriend loved them, and she’d drag me to them. Concerts aren’t my thing.”
A woman actually let him get away? Talk about curiosity. “Last girlfriend?”
“It lasted about eight months, and it’s been over about six. Way done and over.”
