Page 62 of Accidentally Amy

“Say it.”

“You want a name?” I stalled. “You want me to say his name?”

“Name him, Shay.”

I groaned. “Come on, Phillips.”

“If you don’t tell me his name—”

“Fine. Tom Colicchio!” I nearly shouted it, and then I crossed my arms over my chest. Nodded my head and said, “Yes, I was kissingtheTop Chef.”

“Tom Colicchio.” He gave me a look that told me he knew I was lying.

So I nodded again, doubling down. Rubbed my lips together and added, “I guess you could say we were having our own little quick fire.”

“Are you ready?”

“What?”

He stood, and I noticed he didn’t look mad anymore. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the display. “I’m starving, so I thought we could drive through Bruegger’s when I take you home. Bagels sound good?”

He was sure in a hurry to get me out of his apartment. I nodded, but couldn’t stop myself from saying, “So we’re okay?”

“Of course.” He put the phone back and held out a hand to help me up.

“Thank God.” I grabbed his hand and let him pull me to my feet, but every cell in my body ceased to exist except for those in my fingers. His big, warm hand swallowed mine, and the slide of his hot skin on mine was electric and sexual and—shit.

It made me literally look down at our hands before quickly letting go.

DearGod.

“But, Iz?”

“Yeah?” I shook out my fingers at my side.

“The way you kissed Tom Colicchio,” he said, his dark eyes hot, “was fucking sinful.”

•••

“Dude, comeon.” Josh held his arms out at his sides before letting loose with a high kick. “That seems like bullshit. Like a flimsy-ass reason for you both to be alone with each other.”

I ducked my head as my cousin swung his leg around. I was sitting in the grass of our front yard while Josh and six of his friends practiced some sort of martial arts–yoga–stretchingthing. They were all silent as they meticulously followed the leader’s movements, so I took the opportunity to sit beside him and tell him my entire situation.

Captive audience and all that.

“I know it sounds that way, but it actually isn’t,” I explained. “He’s this, like, bigwig who totally believes in the values and ethics that go along with his role. He would never get involved with someone who reports to him, because it’swrong.”

“Is he religious?”

“No—I mean, I don’t think so. I think he’s just a good human.”

“Well, if it’s that perfect between you two,” the guy to my right said, hissing out his words as he slowly lowered to a squat-like lunge, “why don’t you just find another job somewhere else?”

“Butt out, Stan,” Josh said, raising his left leg and rotating it. “She shouldn’t have to quit.”

“But if she’s still new to the company, it makes sense,” Stan muttered, giving me a know-it-all look.

“But if she’s still new to the company,” Josh replied, also lowering his body toward the ground, “she needs this huge opportunity more than he does, right?”

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