“I need to change my life, and I know you’re the key. I think back to that summer I spent with you and your dad all the time and remember stuff we talked about, things we did. We found plenty of good, clean ways to have fun.” He paused, a glint making his dark eyes sparkle. “Hey, you know what I have on DVD?” Mischief lurked in that smile. And a hint of happiness. A real smile. The first she’d seen in a week.
Kimber relaxed and returned his grin. “American Pie?”
“Yep. We’ve got a few hours before we have to be at the arena. Wanna?” Watch the movie that had made them laugh so hard they’d cried together that summer? “Sure.”
“Hang on.”
He clambered over the back of the sofa and grabbed the phone. In seconds, he was demanding popcorn from room service. By the time he found the DVD, figured out how to work the equipment connected to the suite’s plasma TV, and had the menu on the screen, the popcorn had arrived.
For over an hour, they laughed at the antics of four high school boys all trying to lose their virginity by prom night.
“Watch this,” Jesse demanded, tossing popcorn in the air and trying to catch it with his open mouth.
He missed. The piece hit him on the cheek, and Kimber laughed. “Smooth.”
“Okay, so I’m out of practice. And it works better with M&M’s.” She mock-punched him in the shoulder. “Excuses, excuses.”
“Let’s see you do better.”
Arching a brow, she plucked up a piece of the fluffy popcorn and tossed it. A perfect landing on her tongue. She tossed him a smug smile.
“Show-off,” he grumbled, but tossed an arm around her shoulders as they settled in for the rest of the movie. And it was comfortable. Friendly.
When it was over, he turned the TV and DVD player off, wearing a huge smile.
“That movie always reminds me of the summer we spent together. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better time. No pressure. No groupies. No parties. Just…fun.”
“I enjoyed that summer, too.”
The air had been ripe with the hope of first love. They’d been innocent enough—
nothing beyond kisses—but every one of those had seemed so hot and forbidden.
And so sweet. The fact he’d bought the very DVD that reminded him of her and carried it with him touched her. Watching it together again had been a blast.
But had watching it helped Jesse to tune in to the emotional connection they’d once shared or just remind him of a happier past? Was he actually interested in her, or was she like the DVD, just another reminder of a better time?
And why was she staying here, giving Jesse false hope, when Deke was so obviously dominating her heart? When she ached with missing quiet times with Luc?
Someone knocked on the suite’s door. Without waiting for an answer, he shoved in the key, and strolled into the room. Ryan.
He sent them both a long-suffering grimace. “Dang, all clothed again. You two are dull.”
Oh, the man miffed Kimber. Annoying, grating, he’d say whatever was on his mind and clearly didn’t care a lick if it offended anyone or not.
“We were watching a movie.” Kimber did her best to sound civil.
“I’d rather you get busy and make a movie I’d wanna watch.” He leered.
Okay, that made him zoom to the top of her ick chart.
Her annoyance must have shown, since Jesse leveled him a hard warning stare.
“Despite how much you like home movies, we won’t be making any. What do you want?”
“Showtime is in an hour, kids. I’m just your reminder.” Jesse glanced at his watch, then sighed. “Back to reality.” He sent a longing look at the minibar. “Drink before the show?” Drinking before work?
“No, and it’s just my opinion, but I don’t think you should either.”