Page 36 of Tempting the President (Oro Nero MC)

Dear Ashton,

You remember the Cromleys who lived across our street?

They had the cutest boy and I just wanted to hug him really hard because he was so cute!

Okay, I’m just joking, you don’t need to cry. I love you to pieces and you will always be the cutest baby brother in the world for me.

Love, Your Big Sis.

“YOU DON’T REALLY THINK that’s going to work, do you?” Kellion’s voice was solemn, but his eyes were laughing at me.

Rub, rub, rub. I glared at him in answer, still hoping there was a way to erase the tingling effect his kiss had on my lips.

My swollen lips because my biker boyfriend was so into PDA that when a TMZ reporter had managed to corner us on our way back to school, asking us if we were dating, the darn guy had chosen to illustrate his answer by kissing me hard and long.

So much so that by the time it was over, the reporter had been long gone.

* head desk*

Honestly, I really wanted to hit the table with my head several times if I was sure it could grant me selective amnesia.

If I could, I wouldn’t just choose to forget about today’s episode.

I’d probably choose to forget the time I stupidly fell for a famous biker.

It just felt so darn weird, having the paparazzi after us when I still considered Kellion and I no different from any other couple in our uni.

Seated opposite us, KC was doing her best not to smile after Kellion recounted what had happened while Lace was laughing her butt off, completely unsympathetic to my plight.

Honestly, of all the days for this girl to skip classes! Glaring at her, I wrote furiously on my board. GO BACK TO YOUR SCHOOL.

Lace just laughed harder.

“Lace, stop it.” KC was still struggling to keep a straight face. “It really wasn’t that funny—-”

I resumed rubbing my mouth free of Kellion’s taste.

KC ended up giggling.

*head desk*

Beside me, I could still feel Kellion’s eyes on me. He actually had his elbow on the table, head propped up by his hand, staring at me like he was mesmerized.

Like he was in love.

Yuck.

I scowled at him. He was so not helping, the way Kellion was staring at me only making the two other girls laughing nonstop.

“Do you know—-” Kellion said conversationally when he saw my scowling face, “—-I find the fact that you’re trying to rub my kiss off your lips extremely arousing?”

I quickly put down the napkin even as I turned to glare at him. God, this biker. Did he really have to say that?

In front of me, KC choked while Lace said loudly, “ Gross .”

Kellion swiped the napkin from my fingers.

I yelped in protest, trying to get it back, but he kept it out of reach by jamming it inside his jeans pocket.

“No more, baby. I honestly think it’s a turn on, but I’m worried it could do something to your lips.” His voice was firm but gentle, his eyes revealing genuine concern.

“Aww,” KC gushed. “That’s so sweet.”

“Gross,” Lace said again.

Ditto, my friend, ditto , I thought even as I was torn between glaring and blushing.

When he actually reached for my lips, I tried slapping his hand away, but it was no use. He was just too quick, his lips twitching even as he easily evaded my blocks.

His fingers grazed my lips. “Seems okay,” he murmured.

Yes. They were so okay I could even try biting him.

Kellion only laughed. “You are a little monster,” he grunted afterwards when I managed to bite hard on one finger.

Before I could answer, rookies from Afxisi had come back, bearing fully loaded trays for us.

It was awkward, having another student do something so seemingly menial for us, and especially knowing that these boys were probably a hundred times richer than I could ever be.

But according to Kellion, it was part and parcel of their training, a way to make sure they didn’t become too blinded by their egos.

Everyone stared as the rookies silently laid the trays on the table and just as silently stood in one row until Kellion nodded his dismissal.

Lace shook her head with a sigh. “If only all the players in my school followed me that way.”

“That’s weird,” KC remarked with a concerned frown as she started digging into her pasta. “You didn’t have that kind of trouble before, right?”

“Yeah, well...these aren’t my old players.” Lace’s voice was flat.

I looked at Kellion, and when he nodded at me imperceptibly, I knew he had noticed the same thing I had. Lace had something going on, but she wasn’t the type to ask for help, even if she needed it. Right now, she looked like she’d do anything to change the subject—-

“Say ‘aah’.” Kellion suddenly had a forkful of salad coming at me.

Without thinking, I opened my mouth.

And there it was, my boyfriend had just fed me in public.

KC grinned. Lace pretended to gag. Me? I just wanted to kill myself because in my entire life, I had never thought I’d be like one of those couples.

God, this biker.

When I turned to Kellion, he had his phone out. JUST TO TAKE THE HEAT OFF LACE.

Oh.

He erased the message and wrote another one. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO TRY FEEDING YOU.

God, this biker.

Tearing my gaze off him, I took my burger from my plate and bit into it, chewing determinedly. It was that or be swept away by the weird electrifying jolt that had zapped my body at his words.

God, this biker.

He made it so, so hard for me not to fall more and more in love with him.

Unable to help it, I stole a look at Kellion. He and Lace were talking about basketball, and I secretly felt so proud at the way he didn’t patronize Lace about the subject just because she was a girl.

In fact, the first time I had introduced Lace to him, he totally took the fact that she was an aspiring NBA coach in stride. No sarcasm, no surprise, no disbelief – just a straightforward question about what she had done so far to make it happen.

Honestly, there were just so many things to love about him I was starting to worry that maybe I had to be nicer just so he’d have as many reasons to keep loving me.

Kellion suddenly glanced at me. “Is it bothering you?”

My eyebrow shot up in confusion. Huh?

“Is that why you’ve been staring at me? Are you bothered by how good-looking your boyfriend is?”

God, this biker.

Too cute and too arrogant for his own good. And so I stepped on his foot. Hard enough to make him grunt, but not enough to kill the wicked grin on his face.

“It’s okay, baby,” he said soothingly. “I’m just as bothered at how hot you are.” And then he went back to talking to Lace, as if he hadn’t just said the most embarrassing things.

God, this biker.

Deciding not to dignify his words with an answer, I turned my head away from Kellion. KC nudged me at the same time just before passing me her phone.

KC: Has either of you said ILY yet?

I choked on my burger. KC had this thing about couples exchanging ‘I love you’ with each other, but honestly just the thought of doing it gave me the creeps. It just wasn’t my thing, and I didn’t think it was Kellion’s either.

Honestly, just thinking about it—-

I shuddered.

Yuck.

Kellion pounded me on the back. “Okay?”

I flashed him a thumbs-up sign weakly.

“Sure?” He glanced at KC’s phone curiously.

Oh no you don’t. Before he could even think of reading what KC said, I quickly pressed the button to clear the entire message.

Kellion frowned. “Now you have me curious, terataki .”

I pulled out my board. IT’S NOTHING.

He looked at KC. “Was it nothing?”

KC said slyly, “Depends on how you say it.” When she looked at me, I had to wonder why I ever thought she was innocent. “Did something or nothing happen, Aria? You tell me.”

I glared at her. Shut up!

“I’m confused,” Kellion announced.

“Me, too,” Lace piped in.

I waved my board at them, emphasizing my last words. IT’S NOTHING.

Lace’s gaze narrowed. “I think there’s something—-”

KC said brightly, “Really?”

I kicked her under the table.

KC winced. “Okay, I’ll shut up.”

Kellion was checking his watch. “Lunch break’s about to end soon.” He glanced at my half-finished burger. “Finish up. We can always talk about this later.”

I threw my hands up. Did he not read what I wrote? I pointed at my board. IT’S NOTHING!

“Yes, yes,” Kellion said as if talking to a stubborn kid, which would be me, I supposed. “Now, will you finish eating your damn burger? I know you didn’t eat breakfast this morning.”

Lace and KC were whispering in front of us and my heart sank when Lace’s eyes widened. “Oh, so that’s what!” She smirked at me. “I’d like to know the answer, too.”

I threw my board at her, but she caught it handily. I knew she would, but it was nice taking a shot at her anyway.

I glared at them even as I munched on the last of my burger. IT’S NOTHING. When I was done, I gulped down some water and pulled Kellion up with me. It was definitely time to go, before either of those two would end up saying something unnecessary.

Kellion was grinning as I practically dragged him away from the nasty duo. “Slow down.”

I shook my head without looking at him, doing my best to walk faster.

He fell into step next to me, his grip changing so that he was the one holding my hand. It was a very alpha gesture, which I should have found ridiculous but instead my heart ended up skipping more than a beat at it.

God. I was so in love with him it was just not funny. At all!

As we started for the stairs, Kellion asked, “What was it really?”

I knew that tone of his. It meant he wouldn’t stop at nothing until I gave him an answer. Impulsively, I blurted out, “Sex.”

The air around us changed the moment I said the word, Kellion’s nostrils flaring while heat uncurled inside me, burning the strength from my limbs and making me feel like I could fall any moment.

Zero.

Suddenly, it was all I could think about.

Zero, zero, zero, zero.