Page 35 of PR Stunt

Juno grins. “Exactly.”

We huddle in close, the view stretching behind us. Juno flips the camera to selfie mode and snaps the pic, and then we make our way back down the trail.

“He must be insane in bed,” Eloise says. “That body? I saw him in that movie where he was Coast Guard. Phew!”

I blink. Are we…still talking about Grayson?

Juno suppresses a grin. “Yeah, Charlie, tell us.”

I shoot Juno a knock it off look.

“Seriously,” Eloise continues. “If I had access to that? I’d be taking full advantage. But honestly, I’m surprised. He doesn’t really seem like the lovey-dovey relationship type.”

I pause. You have no idea. But she doesn’t even know him. Not really. I almost say it. Why don’t you date him, then? But I bite the inside of my cheek.

Instead, I take another sip from my water bottle, playing it cool. “Really? He’s been nothing but thoughtful to me.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” she says suggestively.

As we reach the parking lot, a small frenzy catches my attention. What the heck? At least a dozen girls in workout gear are clustered together, surrounding something. I lean slightly to the side, trying to get a better look.

Not something. Someone.

Glossy black paint. A sleek frame. The low, unmistakable rumble of an engine. Oh, you have got to be kidding me. He is perfectly at ease on his bike, one boot planted on the pavement, the other resting on the footpeg. His black helmet hangs from the handlebar. He’s wearing a fitted black t-shirt that clings to his shoulders and arms and a pair of dark-wash jeans, slightly worn in, like they’ve been through hell but somehow look better because of it.

And to top it all off, he’s got on black leather gloves, his fingers flexing idly against the handlebars. Meanwhile, the girls clustered around him are practically losing their minds. One is twisting a strand of hair, trying to look casual while sneaking glances at him. Another is whispering something to her friend, wide-eyed and giggling. A few are bold enough to just flat-out stare.

I glance to my left, and Eloise is practically eye-fucking him. I swear I can feel the heat coming off her gaze from here.

“Holy shit,” she mutters under her breath. “No way. That’s Grayson? He’s so much hotter in person.”

I grip my water bottle tighter, jaw clenching. What the hell is he doing here? We were supposed to meet back at my house for the pap car shots. Not this. Not causing a scene at the end of my hike.

I inhale slowly through my nose, schooling my face into something neutral. Because if there’s one thing I can’t afford, it’s looking irritated in front of all these people. As we get closer, I keep my expression easy. Juno’s watching me, amused as hell. Eloise is already moving faster, pushing ahead. Grayson looks ridiculous. Not in a bad way. In a completely unfair, cinematic, main character in every movie ever kind of way.

I step forward, past Eloise, and stop just beside him.

“You lost?” I ask, voice light, as if I’m totally fine with this.

His eyes find mine. It trails down slowly, taking in my workout attire. His tone is dry, teasing. “Not anymore.”

I hold his gaze. Behind me, cameras click and girls whisper, barely containing their excitement. He’s causing a scene, and he knows it.

But he doesn’t say anything else. Just the faintest curl of a smile, a look that says, Can you keep your cool, Charlie?

Like he’s waiting for me—no, daring me—to slip.

A shuffle on the pavement breaks the moment, snapping me out of it. I clear my throat. I open my mouth to introduce them but catch myself. If he’s been my boyfriend in “secret” for months, Juno would already know him.

I pivot smoothly. “Juno, you remember Grayson.”

“Of course,” she says, eyes bouncing between us with barely concealed amusement. She crosses her arms. “Charlie’s new boyfriend.”

Grayson smiles, casual but calculated. “The one and only.”

Juno’s grin turns knowing. Her gaze shifts between us once more before settling on me. “Huh. Interesting.”

Before I can decode the look Juno just gave me, I gesture vaguely to my other side. “And this is Eloise.”