Ray Mickshaw, Fox/PictureGroup
Lauren Alaina planted a smooch on 'American Idol' winner Scotty McCreery onstage.Scotty McCreery not only came out of "American Idol" as the winner, the country crooner may have also scored himself a girlfriend in the process.
Just moments after McCreery took home the top prize on the FOX show's 10th season, runnerup Lauren Alaina pulled him in for a hug and planted a kiss on his lips while the rest of America watched.
Soon after the public smooch, 16-year-old Alaina played coy with reporters when asked if she was dating the 17-year-old singer.
"I kissed him on the lips, yeah," she told "Entertainment Tonight," before teasing, "He might be my boyfriend, he might not be my boyfriend."
When Alaina spotted McCreery walking the press line, she yelled to him: "They asked me if we're dating. I told them to ask you!"
She then told reporters, "I'll never tell! Secret's safe with me!"
Alaina and McCreery held hands as they walked onto the 'Idol' stage. (Vince Bucci, Fox/PictureGroup)
McCreery was less playful when addressing the romance rumors, saying, "Everybody keeps asking me about the smooch. She told me she was gonna do that before the show. She's a character, isn't she?"
"We're really close friends," he added. "I don't know about the dating part. She's just being funny. She's such a sweetheart. We've grown so close. It's a special relationship we have."
Though he insists to "ET" that he's "still single," McCreery admits that he and Alaina are "really, really, really close friends." Really.
The two were more playful backstage. (Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)
McCreery won't have to worry long about finding himself a new love interest, however. He'll soon encounter an overwhelming amount of female fans when he and his fellow contestants travel the country on the Idols Live Summer tour.
"The ladies weren't like this back before 'American Idol,' it was tough on me back home," he confessed.
With a majority of more than 122 million votes crowning him the new "American Idol," dating may not be so tough for McCreery any longer.
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