Page 16 of Romance Is Dead

“I feel like you need to get your priorities straight,” I teased.

“Honestly, it’s weird to see you anxious about something. You’re so. . .”

“Bitchy?”

“I was going to say fierce.”

“Oh.” My cheeks tingled. The way he’d said it made it sound like a compliment.

“I don’t feel like it lately,” I said. “So if you have any tips, I’m all ears.”

He paused. “For me, the worst part is the unknown. The waiting for something bad to happen. Wondering if everything will be ok or if disaster is about to strike. But once the bad thing happens?” He threw up his hands.

“The anticipation is gone and I can focus on fixing it. I’ve usually rehearsed the worst-case scenario in my head anyway, so I already have a plan. ”

I took my eyes off the road for a second to look at him, a little surprised. I hadn’t expected something so insightful from him. Teddy James was capable of depth after all. Who knew?

“That makes sense.”

“Does it?” Teddy scrunched his face and ran a hand over his hair. “It’s exhausting.”

“At least you always have a game plan.” And then, I don’t know what made me say it. It popped out of my mouth before I could stop it. “I’m sure your girlfriends appreciate that. All that planning ahead.”

Teddy chuckled, a low sound. “Not really. Girlfriends in the past haven’t been very appreciative. Of the worrying. More like annoyed.”

“I’m sorry. That’s awful.”

“Yeah, well. Relationships and I don’t mix. And how could I party with all those girls from Instagram if I was tied down?”

Now there was the Teddy I knew.

Before I could reply, Teddy’s arm shot out, twisting up the volume knob.

“Ooh, this is my favorite.” He tapped out the beat on the tops of his thighs as the opening bars of “Bohemian Rhapsody” rang out.

“It’s everyone’s favorite.”

“No way, it’s a deep cut.”

I snorted. “Are you serious?”

Teddy said nothing, just mouthed the opening lyrics in an exaggerated way as he stared at me, daring me to join in as he twisted the volume up even higher.

“You look ridiculous!” I shouted over Freddie Mercury singing about being a poor boy.

In reply, Teddy rolled down the window and started singing the words for real, his voice surprisingly strong and rich.

“Hey!” I reached for the button to roll the window back up. “It’s late.”

“And there’s so many people around.” He motioned outside, where nothing but dark fields flanked the car. He shot me a wicked look. “Lighten up a little!”

I was about to retort that I was in no way uptight when I noticed an irresistible glint in his eye. The song was really getting going now, the familiar plinks of the piano getting louder.

“Fine.” I rolled down my own window, turned up the music even higher, and belted along with Freddie as he lamented to his mother about killing a man.

We sang along to the whole thing, my voice straining and breaking at the higher notes.

But I didn’t care — the wind was whipping my hair and Teddy was making wild conductor motions in the passenger seat and I was drumming along on the steering wheel, and for the first time in years I forgot about all the bullshit.

I forgot about gossip magazines, and my failing career, and even the possible killer who was on the loose.

All I knew or cared about was the music, and the rasp in my throat as I took in great lungfuls of fresh air, and Teddy singing along with me, note for note.

When the song ended, Freddie’s voice gently trailing off, Teddy reached out to lower the volume.

I swatted his hand away. “Let’s see what’s next!”

He grinned and leaned back in his seat, and then we sang along to the Pixies and Blondie and the Cure, not stopping even as we rolled into town and the chance of someone hearing us grew exponentially higher.

I finally turned it down as I pulled into the parking lot of the hotel, the two of us out of breath. I parked, disappointed that the drive was at an end. Compared to the energy in the car, the idea of going back to my lonely room was unappealing.

“Thanks for coming with me.” I reached into the backseat for my bag. “If I’d been there alone with Scott, I probably would have gotten myself in trouble.”

“No problem.” He didn’t say anything else, but he also wasn’t moving to get out of the car. He just stared at me, a hint of a smile on his mouth.

“What?” I asked, suddenly suspicious.

“I remember you, you know.”

My hand froze on its way to grab the keys. “What?”

“That night at the party. I kept waiting for you to mention it, but you never did.”

There it was again — that stare, with his ocean-blue eyes focused so intently on me that I couldn’t look away.

I threw my keys in my bag and fiddled with the zipper. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Now who needs acting lessons?”

“You left with that woman, I figured you didn’t remember. . . I mean, you obviously preferred — ” My cheeks heated. I really didn’t feel like reliving the humiliation all over again.

“Wait, you thought I was leaving to sleep with her?” For a moment, Teddy looked horrified. “She’s a friend — she needed a ride home because her creepy ex was there and he wouldn’t leave her alone.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say as I struggled to make sense of this new information.

“So you didn’t leave because you didn’t want to. . .?”

“No.” Teddy’s voice was resolute. “I really, really wanted to.”

The walk up to the hotel was charged. Energy crackled between us, an invisible thread that seemed to connect us as we crossed the lot and climbed the steps.

He placed his hand on the small of my back as he opened the door and guided me through, sending a warm flush straight to my belly.

I was hyperaware of his movement as we made our way to the elevator, and neither of us said a word on the ride to the third floor.

We arrived at my room first. I fumbled through my bag, grasping desperately for my key card. It took me a moment to find it — I couldn’t focus on locating the card with Teddy staring at me, not moving a single muscle toward his room down the hall.

Finally, I grabbed it.

Before sliding it in the lock, I lifted my gaze to Teddy’s face. “Well. Goodnight.”

For a moment, he said nothing. My eyes fell to his mouth, my center clenching as his tongue ran ever so lightly along his bottom lip. I imagined grabbing his shoulder and pulling him into my room after me, the two of us twining around each other before falling into bed.

As I stared, Teddy’s lips dropped into a frown.

“Are we saying goodnight already?” He reached out, cradling my neck in his hand as his thumb lingered on my cheekbone, the pressure soothing.

I leaned into his hand, savoring his touch as he studied my face, looking at me like he was trying to memorize each freckle and feature.

“Quinn!”

A voice shattered the silence. We both jerked away, looking for the source. Chloe and Mara — arm in arm — were stumbling down the hall.

I swore under my breath. What on earth was Mara doing up this late? It was nearly three hours past her bedtime.

“We’ve been looking for you all night!” Chloe looked — and sounded — like she was more than a few drinks in, and Mara seemed not far behind. “Where have you been?”

“Seriously, you can’t keep bailing on me like this.” Mara stuck out her lip in an exaggerated pout. “I’ve barely seen you since filming began.”

My heart sank. I really had been a terrible friend. I was about to apologize and make an excuse when I realized they had just seen Teddy and me outside my room and dangerously close to kissing — something Mara had surely picked up on.

Indeed, a smirk spread across her face. “Hey, were you guys about to — ”

“No!” I yelped. I slipped my key card into the lock and yanked the door handle. “I was just going to bed. Alone.”

“Are you sure?” Mara poked my shoulder. “You two look awfully cozy.”

“Mara, please. . .”

Chloe’s eyes flickered from Mara to me and back again. “Come on, if she says there’s nothing going on, I’m sure there’s nothing going on.” She gave me a covert wink. “Right?”

“Right. Exactly.” I breathed out in relief, making a note to thank Chloe later. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

Waving goodnight to Mara and Chloe, I slipped into my room and let go of the door. As it slowly fell back into place, I could see Teddy, his jaw tense, his eyes still smoldering as they bore into mine. I finished slamming the door closed before I could change my mind and pull him in after me.