I shake my head quickly. “No, really, I’m beat. And I don’t know about Ryan.”
“What? Why?”
“I mean, I’m all for meeting him and stuff ’cause he’s your brother, but I don’t know if he’s my type.”
“Your type? You don’t think he’s hot? Everyone thinks he’s hot. It’s annoying. Like, I don’t have a friend who hasn’t tried to sleep with him.”
Oh, I think he’s fucking gorgeous, but I don’t need my new best friend knowing that. Amelia’s eyes are one thing, beautiful in their own right, but Ryan’s… Holy shit. From where I was on the floor, there was no ignoring his blue depths. I wanted to drown in them, they were so inviting. I don’t know if the dark-rimmed glasses he wore made them bluer, but I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Then he was wearing a suit that hugged his thighs and made his shoulders look like they were rock solid. Since he’s a hockey player, I’m sure they are. Add in the fact that his face looks as if it should grace the cover of People for hottest boy band member, and it’s pretty easy to say that I find Amelia’s brother irresistible. More than irresistible, actually, which is very, very bad.
“Yeah, no. I don’t want to offend you, but he isn’t really my type.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he’s too pretty-boyish.”
She makes a face. “Ryan? My brother? Are you sure? He’s not a pretty boy.”
“He was wearing that suit, right? And his hair was glossed over, all pretty-boy like.”
She just blinks before she snorts with laughter. “I can’t wait to tell him that you made fun of his hair—”
“No! Don’t!”
But she’s not listening to me; she’s laughing. “He hates his hair like that, but he has to wear it that way since they have to be all clean-cut and perfect when they go to school events. It’s a team thing.”
I press my lips together. “Oh.”
“Yeah, he doesn’t usually look like that. He usually looks like a regular guy.”
“Eh, he’s too Clark Kent for me.”
And boy how I wish he’d come and carry me away like my own personal Superman.
But that can’t happen.
“Oh, okay.”
I shrug, tearing apart my chicken as I watch her. She doesn’t look upset, but she looks perplexed. “Don’t be offended, please. I don’t mean that to be rude.”
She shakes her head, though her brows are still drawn together. “Oh no, it’s fine. Just I’m curious if I’ll still get to meet Moon since you’re turning him down.” I scoff as she sets me with a look. “Can you act like you dig him so I can get my introduction?”
I shake my head. “That’s not fair, and I wouldn’t lead him on.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
I laugh. “Amelia.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, shaking her head. “Hmm, I gotta figure out how to get around this.”
“You aren’t mad at me?”
She pauses as she gets up. “Mad that you don’t want my brother? No, I’m actually relieved.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, Ryan doesn’t do girlfriends, and I wouldn’t want him to end up hurting you because, duh, you’re my bestie.”
I swallow past the lump that forms in my throat. He looked like a settle-down type of guy, which is why I’m running the other way. “Oh, well, I don’t do boyfriends.”
“Are you sure you can’t just sleep with him? That will get me a for-sure date with Moon.”
I hold back my laughter. If only she knew how that would never happen. “That goes above and beyond best-friend duties.”
“Shit, you’re right. Fine. I’m going to bed.”
Relief floods me. “No party?”
She shakes her head. “No way. I’m beat, and I want to be fresh for tomorrow.”
“It’s not ’cause I’m not going?”
“That too. I don’t want to go alone or face the million questions my brother will hit me with.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, he’s been texting me since I left. He really wants to meet you.”
My heart flutters. “Oh.”
She tosses her phone onto the nightstand between us, and she isn’t lying. It’s going off with messages from her “Bubba,” all asking where we are. A jolt of excitement goes through me at the thought of someone as hot as Ryan digging me, but I gotta keep my head on straight. I was told my whole life by my old coach that boys are trouble; they ruin gymnasts’ careers.
Which is why I’ve never had a boyfriend, nor do I want one.
I have to succeed.