Page 26 of Play Your Part

“Cheeseburger, medium well, sweet potato fries, and a Pepsi.”

Alexei’s attention turned to me, his head tilting in surprise, which was my first clue I was gaping at him. I couldn’t help it. Justinneverate like that. He ate nothing fun during the season, just boring salads and grilled chicken and veggies. I once saw him eat a dessert, which resulted in two hours in his personal gym afterward. The worst part was I’d followed his lead in solidarity. It sucked.

But now I could eat whatever I wanted. And I wouldn’t have to hide the evidence of my straying diet while he was out of town either.

Our waitress’s derisive voice cut into my thoughts. “You’re the girl from the internet.” She said the next words slowly, trying to piece together what she saw before her. “And you’re here… with Volk.”

“It appears that way, doesn’t it?” I replied, my voice filled with fake honey.

“So you two…” She trailed off but motioned between us with one hand.

Alexei leaned toward her to whisper, “She doesn’t like to label things.”

This girl’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head. “She doesn’t like to label things… with you.”

And this was where our innocent lunch took a turn south, the moment Alexei turned his grin on this girl and then on me. It illuminated his entire face and surfaced that treacherous dimple I wished to never see again.

Okay, he looked cute when he smiled… so what? Lots of people did. And what was a dimple anyway, just a divot in your face? If anything, people should consider it an imperfection. There was no reason to feel any type of way about it.

“I need to make sure he can handle me.” I winked at her.

Under the table, I felt Alexei’s leg brush mine in warning. If that was his goal, mission accomplished because alarm bells sounded in my head. Every one of my instincts yelled to put distance between us, but I couldn’t leave, so I endured his leg pressing mine.

I hoped the flush I felt didn’t reach my face.

I refused to look at him, instead focusing on the waitress as I recited my order. “Chicken tenders and sweet potato fries. Oh, and a shot of rum and a soda. Please.”

As soon as she scampered away, Alexei said, “Another thing we have in common.”

“We both like fries,” I marveled. “Groundbreaking.”

Wait, what is the first thing we have in common?Maybe he meant being involved in this stupid photo debacle. I was about to ask when the pressure from Alexei’s leg abated, offering much-needed relief. When I could no longer feign interest in the bar, I looked across from me, at Alexei, who wore a smirk on his face.

“No need to look so smug,” I said. “Everyone here hated you last week, in case you’ve forgotten.”

He ran his finger along the rim of his water glass. “She still would have gone home with me.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Don’t play innocent with me,Kens. You were with Justin Ward.”

“First, don’t call me that ever again,” I said, holding up a finger. “And second, Justin was my friend before he was anything else. I wouldn’t sleep with someone just because they were famous.”

“Why would Ward want to be just friends with you?”

I opened my mouth to match his repulsed tone with ire of my own.

But then, he added, “He obviously wanted more. You didn’t?”

“I wasn’t single at the time.”

The waitress returned at that moment. She placed our drinks in front of us, poised to say something before taking in the scene in front of her—Alexei and I staring each other down. I broke eye contact with him to pick up my shot and down it, loving the hot sensation running through my throat. The waitress left again without saying a word.

“How long did you make him wait?”

“I didn’tmakehim do anything.”

Alexei held my gaze, waiting for my answer.

---