Page 70 of I Think He Knows

And then, his mouth is moving towards mine.

Closer, closer. Painfully, tantalizingly, beautifully closer…

“Great, thank you very much!”

Elena’s barking voice shatters the moment. It’s quickly followed by the abrupt sound of her clapping her clipboard against her other hand. She’s addressing the photographers, who I’d all but forgotten were there in my Carter haze.

“I appreciate you all being here tonight on such short notice,” she goes on.

Meanwhile, I’m struggling to catch my breath. My head is reeling from what almost just happened as Carter and I pull apart. Carter looks equally pained, his pupils dilated, his breath catching as he stares at Elena in what looks like total uncomprehension.

She throws him a smirk and says quietly enough for only us to hear, “Figured since you’re notreallytogether, I’d save you the trouble of arealkiss.”

23

CARTER

I’m a tsunami stopped in its tracks mere inches from reaching the shore.

She was finallyright there, in my arms, breathing jaggedly and trembling as she looked up at me with big, dark eyes that were screaming for me to touch her, kiss her, taste her. Steal that breath away altogether and claim her lips asmine.

And then, Elena just had to jump in and “save us” at the exact wrong moment. Although, judging by the smirk on her face, she knew what she was doing—playing with us, having a little fun of her own. It was the opposite of fun for me; getting cut off like that was almost physically painful. My heart is still beating too fast, my skin too warm.

So, I do what I’ve been doing for years now and stuff down my emotions. Paste on a pleasant expression, even as my hands stiffen by my sides.

“I need a drink,” I say lightly, like we’re standing around chatting about the weather. “You too, Lan?”

She looks up at me with those liquid dark eyes and shakes her head. “I think I’ll run to the bathroom first.”

And with that, she’s off, legging it out of the tent and across the lawn. She looked like she was going to do the same exact thing right after she proposed that we kiss.

But I couldn’t let her take off after suggestingthat.

I’m still on a high from hearing those words come out of her mouth. Even if it is just for practice on her end, the thought of kissing Lana Mae in that moment was almost too tempting to bear … but what’s she thinking now? Everything in me wants to run after her. But everything in me also knows that I need to give her space—give usbothspace—to process the insane fireworks of whateverthatwas.

Or,almostwas, I should say.

I turn to Elena and arch a brow. “Really with the ‘save you the trouble’ B.S.?”

My manager smirks. “Please. You don’t want your first kiss to be for the cameras. You want it to be special, private. All yours, without the world bearing witness.”

I’m first taken aback by her surprisingly sincere response, and then by howrightshe is.

If Lana wants me to kiss her, I’ll do it properly. Take my time and wait for the perfect opportunity where it’s just me and her, in our world. Together. No matter what it means or what it doesn’t, the least I can give her is that.

“Thanks, Elena. That’s actually kind of… sweet of you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Carter. I’m not being sweet, I’m being practical.” She snorts at me before whisking a very full flute of champagne off of a nearby waiter’s tray without spilling a single drop. “And have I mentioned that you’re looking flushed tonight? You sure you’re taking those herbal supplements?”

“Nope,” I respond cheerfully.

Elena sighs a very, very deep sigh. “For thelast time, you really must start thinking about ——Oh Harriet, darling!” She suddenly beams as she spots a familiar face over my shoulder. “What was I saying? Ah, it doesn’t matter. Duty calls.”

And with that, Elena rushes off with barely a parting glance. I roll my eyes at my easily distracted, undeniably practical agent’s back before making my way back to the bar, where I order a whiskey. Neat.

Because hell yeah, I’m flushed.

Luke comes sauntering up, the top button of his dress shirt undone and his eyes a little glazed. “Hey.” He hiccups. “Great party. ‘Speshly”—hic!—”the shrimp”—hic!—“cocktail.”