Taylor Swift Romance Rumors Made Ed Sheeran "Feel Like a Bit of a Stud"

USMagazine, Thursday, March 14, 2013, 4:45pm (PDT)

Don't add Ed Sheeran's name to the list of boldfaced men in Taylor Swift's little black book. The 22-year-old "A Team" singer is laughing off widespread reports that he's been secretly romancing the 23-year-old "I Knew You Were Trouble" singer.

In an interview with New Zealand broadcaster TVNZ, Sheeran admitted to spending time with Swift in her London hotel room Feb. 19, but denied hooking up with the country music superstar. "I did stay there 'til four and I did leave in the same clothes, but I was playing her my new record. It was strictly that kind of thing," the redheaded singer-songwriter insisted. "Literally, I went in there and we passed the guitar back and forth and played songs to each other."

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Sheeran cowrote the song "Everything Has Changed" on Swift's latest album, Red. He coincidentally wrote the hit single "Little Things" for One Direction; Swift split with boy band member Harry Styles in January 2013.

The "You need Me, I Don't Need You" singer added that he was surprised by the number of outlets linking him to Swift, whose ex-boyfriends include Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner and Conor Kennedy.

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"The thing that impressed me with the media is that because they wrote about it, my mates believed it. And my mates are texting me being like, 'Is it true?'" Sheeran explained. "So I said it wasn't but the fact that people can believe it makes me feel like a bit of a stud, you know?"

Sheeran continued, "I've got to be honest because one of my best friends [Styles, 18] did date her. I'm not that kind of guy. But the fact that people believed it impressed me a little bit." When asked if he tried to steal a kiss from Swift, Sheeran replied, "I'm a professional."

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The "Drunk" singer is currently opening for Swift on her Red tour, which kicked off March 13 in Omaha, Nebraska. It's just one of the many reasons Sheeran isn't interested in dating Swift. "Six months on the road with someone, that could get a bit awkward," he said.

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Taylor Swift Romance Rumors Made Ed Sheeran "Feel Like a Bit of a Stud"