AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was on the Dean’s List the last two semesters,” she says as she sits up a little taller, clearly proud of herself and her accomplishments, and she should be. My marks were good, but I was never acknowledged for my work.
“Impressive,” I say, grabbing my water glass and holding it in her direction for a toast. She picks up what I’m doing immediately and clinks our cups together.
As we’re both taking sips, my dad clears his throat and says, “This sounds like a good networking opportunity for you, Alexis.”
His expression is kind, but he’s looking between Alexis and I with poorly-concealed interest. I wonder if he can sense the spark between us. We haven’t even interacted much, so maybe it’s something else. Since he’s lived with Alexis longer, there’s a possibility that he’s seeing something I’m not privy to.
“It will be,” she says, tracing the wood grain with her fingertip. The light’s low, but I think I detect a blush reddening her cheeks.
“You’ll post pictures on your website, won’t you?” her mom asks, apparently not picking up on whatever my dad saw.
“You have a website?” I say with interest.
When she turns her gaze back to me, I feel actually seen. No one’s ever looked at me like this, like she’s eager for me to hear her and wants to hear me in return. I’m not sure what’s happening, but it feels irresistible, like we’re two magnets on the cusp of connecting. All we need is to be pushed a little closer and we’ll be inseparable. I don’t know how I’m going to resist her pull for the next three weeks.
“Yeah,” she says, reminding me that I asked her a question. “It’s kind of like a portfolio, but I mostly use it as a blog right now.”
“Did you design it yourself?” I say, needing to hear more of that sugary sweet voice.
“I did,” she confirms as she leans in a little closer to me. “All from scratch, too. It started as a class project my first semester, but I’ve kept it up since then. It’s not very good, but I’m always trying to improve it.”
“I’d love to see it,” I tell her, unable to keep the smile off my face. “I’m sure it’s better than you think it is.”
“Oh, it’s incredible,” her mom interjects, and I can tell by her tone that she’s about to take control of the conversation. “She’s a pretty good photographer, too. She came to my knitting club and took the best pictures.”
Then she goes off on a tangent that carries on until our meal comes.
As we dig in, the chatter dies down. For a few minutes, the only sound is our forks and knives against the ceramic plates. My arm brushes against Alexis’s with every movement of my hand, and she does nothing to pull away. After taking a couple bites, she sets down her knife and takes a sip from her glass.
“You’re right, Jacob,” Alexis says as she puts the cup down. “This is the best chicken parm I’ve had in my life.”
“I’ve been here awhile,” I reply with a shrug that knocks our elbows together. “I know all the best places in the city.”
That’s not completely true, considering I don’t get out much. A more accurate statement would be that I know all the best places within the delivery range of my apartment. I don’t think that sounds quite as impressive, though.
“I can’t wait for you to show me,” she says, smiling at me conspiratorially before picking up her utensil again.
“Likewise,” I reply, thinking that I wouldn’t mind going places with her.
“You’d welcome company?” my dad asks, raising an eyebrow at her. “I thought you liked experiencing things on your own.”
“Oh, honey, you can’t do that here,” her mom interjects. “It’s not like back home. Things are dangerous here.”
Something protective flares up inside me. The thought of something happening to her makes my stomach turn. Her mom is right. It’s dangerous here if you don’t know the city, especially for a pretty little thing like Alexis. There’s no way she’s going out alone.
“Please, Mom,” Alexis says, rolling her eyes. “I’m not an idiot. I’m careful.”
“Doesn’t matter how smart you are,” I say, leveling her with a stern look. “You never know what’s going to happen here. I don’t mind tagging along.”
“Okay, fine,” she says, but her tone is defiant. I can tell she doesn’t mean it, but I don’t think it’s worth fighting at the table.
Alexis strikes me as the kind of person who does what she wants regardless of what other people think. She has such a headstrong energy, and her choice to go into such a male-dominated field says a lot about her character. I doubt she’s going to let me come with her.
That’s okay, though. If I have to, I’ll follow her and watch her from the shadows. I won’t let anything happen to her, not when she just came back into my life. The possessive, protective beast inside me needs to keep her close and unscathed.
Chapter 2
Alexis
