Page 11 of MOM

I really shouldn't blur it with Rocky. Especially after the story he told me over our meal. I knew from my research he didn't come from money, but apart from that, the Summerses seemed like a normal, close-knit, and most importantly, loving and supportive family. I had no idea that while his homelife might have been idyllic, he endured years of bullying at school.

"What are you thinking?" Rocky asks, holding the door open for me to step into the foyer.

"That I'm glad no one saw us," I lie because it's the easier option. Theprofessionaloption.

"Okay. Cool." His stone-steady voice gives nothing away.

We get into the elevator.

Alone.

I stab at my floor number—technically, our floor number since our suites are right next to each other—and start tapping my foot, impatient for the doors to hurry up and close already.

When they finally do, I glance over at Rocky.

He's looking at me.

He doesn't stop looking at me.

I could be rude and brush him off with some snarky comment. But I don't want to do that.

"Yes?" I whisper even though I hadn't meant for it to come out so quietly.

"Permission to say something highly inappropriate?" he practically growls.

I wet my lips. "Permission granted."

"I think you're incredible, and I'm low-key—no, high-key in awe of you. Your brilliance to go to college so young and graduate with a double major. Your talent to carve out your own career and start your own company at twenty-three. And, because I have eyes, it would be remiss of me to not mention how stunningly gorgeous you are."

My throat follows my lips and dries out completely, too. "You, um, you're pretty amazing as well."

"Nah. I just have big muscles. I'm just a himbo."

I can't tell if he's being self-deprecating for real or as a joke. That doesn't stop me from drawing flush against him, the magnetic pull bigger than me, bigger than my logical brain.

I stare up into his mesmerizing eyes, so light and full of warmth. "You're not a himbo. You got a 4.1. GPA, so you're smart. You've amassed millions of followers, which shows you're strategic and business savvy. And you're ranked in the top five in MoM, which proves you're disciplined and work hard."

The elevator keeps moving but goes deathly silent.

"You really are thorough," he murmurs after a heavy pause, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

Another warm shiver rattles through me.

I reach out to touch the side of his face, and—the doors slide open with a loudding.

I pull back out of instinct in case there's someone on the other side of the doors.

There isn't.

And as we walk down the hallway to our suites, side by side with barely an inch separating us, my body thrums with a sizzling heat, even as my internal alarm screamsDanger, danger!

I hit the override switch and turn the alarm off…for one night only.

9

Rocky

I've been deliberately trying to get up in Decker's space from the moment we left the Deer Lodge. First, it was walking a little too close to him on the street. Then it was gawking at him in the elevator. And now, as we walk down the hotel corridor in silence, I can feel his fingers delicately brush against the side of my arm.