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“Humor me. I hate to eat alone.”
A laugh bubbled out of her then. It completely transformed her entire being. For one brief moment, the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders. “Well, I don’t think that will ever be a problem for you, Mr. Popular. Pick someone else to have lunch with.”
“Too bad. I’ve got you marked in my book with permanent marker, so you can’t get out of it.”
Stopping abruptly in the middle of the hall, some freshman nearly plowed right into her. If my reflexes weren’t as quick as they were, she would have been flat on her ass. Pulling her into me, I held her close, feeling every soft curve of her body.
“What are you doing?” She hissed, her deep blue eyes narrowing. How had I never noticed until now how blue they were?
“Keeping you from becoming hall roadkill. That guy almost took you down.”
Her hands came up between us, pushing us apart. “Let go of me.”
My hands instantly fell to my sides. I wasn’t sure what her aversion to me was, but I certainly didn’t like it. “Let’s go.” I took off toward the cafeteria and hoped she would follow. If she didn’t, I would find her.
I could hear her shoes slapping against the floor before I saw her. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her jaw was tense. “Why do you have to be so annoying?”
“I’m talented like that. Now, what do you want to eat? It’s my treat since it’s your first day.”
Her eyes flared, but then she looked around and started for the salad station. I left Harley to it while I gathered a burger and fries for myself. She was still piling it on when I came up to her.
“This isn’t charged by the weight or anything, is it?” She looked up at me and then back down to her plate.
“Not that I know of.” Even if it was, I didn’t care. I had a nagging feeling that she didn’t want to eat because she had no money. If that was the case, her mom really was a bitch. “Do you see that courtyard right out there?” I pointed past the room filled with students and to the area just beyond. “Go meet me out there,” I said as I took her heaping salad from her.
“And no one will bother us out there?”
“Not a soul.” Because if they did, I’d make their life hell.
“I can stay with you.” All of a sudden, she was a timid mouse, and I couldn’t have that. I liked her fire.
“I got it. You go, and I’ll be out there in just a minute.
I watched her go from where I stood in line, and when it was my turn to pay, sure enough, her salad was priced by weight. Not that I’d ever tell her that. When I stepped to the door that led out of the cafeteria, I turned to look at everyone and found all their eyes on me. Usually, I sat at the football table, but today I’d walked past without saying a word.
“Don’t follow me,” I ordered before I pushed the door open. If any of them dared to show their faces, it would be suicide.
I found Harley sitting in the sun with her head tilted back and enjoying the warmth the rays were providing.
As if she could sense my presence, she started talking while she leaned further back, her eyes still closed.
“Why doesn’t everyone eat out here?”
“Not enough room.” I didn’t tell her it was forbidden. If she knew, she’d be inside faster than I could blink.
Sitting down beside her, I placed her plate between us. Her eyes popped open, and she started to laugh. “I may have overdone it on the salad.”
“If this is the way you eat all the time, I’d say you need it. I can’t imagine not eating meat.” I wasn’t going to let on that I thought the reason she had a mountain on her plate was that she was starving. Did her mom even feed her dinner? “What’s dinner like at your house?”
“Why?” She shifted her eyes my way.
I popped one shoulder. “I’m just curious. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t eat meat.”
“For me,” she started off slow as if she was gauging what she was willing to tell me. “I usually eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My mom and her boyfriend seem to fancy steak.” Her lips curled up. “I can’t sit there and see the blood on their plates. It’s disgusting. Hence the PB and J’s.”
Did her mom even see how much she was hurting her daughter?
“I could get down with a PB and J.”
