“I have things to do,” I said quickly.
“Mhm.”He glanced at my open book, then back at me with a raised brow.“Like reread that same page fifteen more times?”
I shot him a glare sharp enough to decapitate a less arrogant man.“I was studying.”
“Name one thing you remember.”
“I—” My glare intensified, and he smirked at his triumph.“Go away.I have plans tonight, so no, I'm not going out with you.”
“You don’t have plans, Savannah.”He leaned forward, forearms braced on the table, voice dipping into something that felt like a dare.“You’re just scared of the idea of going out with me.”
I scoffed, even though the noise came out a little strangled.“I’m not scared.”
“Great,” he said with a slow, infuriating smile.“Then go out with me.”
There was a tone in his voice—a hook, a spark, achallenge—and God help me, it pulled at something deep in my chest.
He looked at me like he already knew how the night would end.
Like he knew I’d say yes and was just waiting for me to catch up.
Everything inside me knew that was a bad idea.Every red flag I’d neatly catalogued over the years unfurled at once:
He’s trouble.
He’s distracting.
He’s not safe for your heart.
You don’t need this.
You don’t want this.
But then he lifted one eyebrow—just one—like a dare, like he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on me.
And my stupid stomach tightened.
I dragged in a breath.“This is… a bad idea.”
His grin deepened.“Most fun things are.”
“Jaxon—”
“Say yes,” he murmured, leaning in.“Unless you’re scared of falling for me by the end of the night.”
I hated him.
I hated how he said it.
I hated even more how my pulse reacted.
I sat there, staring at him, feeling the library—the safest place I knew—start to tilt around us.
I should’ve said no.
I should’ve shut this down.
I should’ve been smart.
