“Does that surprise you?”
“Yes,” I admitted.
Late afternoon light cast a golden glow on his skin and hair in striking contrast to the silver flecks in his eyes. With a lazy smile he leaned forward. “Let me guess,” attention flitting from my eyes to lips. “You think I cheat to get passing grades since I don’t have the drive for anything other than getting drunk, high and fucked?”
I inhaled sharply, unable to object. He certainly came off that way, especially after witnessing him and that girl outside the frat party. Reclining in his chair, he slowly ran his tongue over his lower lip. He trapped me in that movement- imprisoned me in a body rising in temperature to the point of discomfort.
“I don’t know what to think of you, I don’t know you.”
A flicker of amusement passed over his features.
“Few do, but I'll let you in on a secret, I’ve always been fascinated by the stories people tell to escape the monsters haunting them.”
Did every word out of his mouth have to flip me inside out? They were bullets, scattering my thoughts in every direction, but one question fell from my lips before I could stop myself.
“What monsters haunt you?”
The smirk faded. “Lately, too many to count.”
Sounded familiar. I sighed, tracing the butt of my pen over my notebook. “Sometimes I wish I could be someone else for a day to escape mine.”
Why was I opening up to him? I didn’t talk about personal stuff to anyone, especially not to unnaturally hot guys withveryobvious issues. But something about his undivided attention settled the restlessness in my bones. The lightest brush of fingertips on the back of my hand sent shivers of warmth across every inch of me. With surprising gentleness, those long fingers wrapped around mine.
“I don’t wish that.”
“You don’t know me.”
“No, I don’t,” he agreed, his hand sliding away- I gripped him tighter. A static shock pulsed between us. When our eyes locked again, his were pure silver. “But I want to,” he breathed as ice blue washed away glowing metal.
Yes, yes, yes, I want to know you too.Kicking myself under the table, my teeth tugged my lower lip.
“Your eyes…” I murmured. He said nothing, removing his hand; the loss of his touch left my skin screaming. “They change.”
He nodded once. Since the day I met him, I’d been dying to label the impossible and understand the thrumming power radiating off him like remnants of a nuclear explosion.
“Do they scare you?” he asked. A sliver of vulnerability revealed in those four words.DoIscare you?
“They should,” I whispered.Heshould. He was everything mom told me to beware of and more. It didn’t take close examination to see the brilliant, cunning mind churning behind those intense eyes. I didn’t stand a chance against him.
“They should,” he repeated firmly.
I could see him reeling back into himself, closing the door he’d begun to open for me. I didn’t want it closed. I covered his hand with mine, earning a sharp look.
“Butyoudon’t.”
Still as stone, he gaped at me like I’d told him something as ridiculous as the birds are, in fact, spies for the government. Maybe I’d overstepped. He’d walk away because I wasn’t worth it. I was too strange, too ugly, too pathetic. Time resumed as he stood and scooped up his book, giving me the expanse of his back. My stomach sank.
This was it.
He’d leave.
He cleared his throat, twisting halfway, staring at the floor. “My best friend and I are going to a bar off campus tonight. You should come.”
My mouth popped open, the pen clattering to the floor. He wanted me to hang out with him. At a bar. With his best friend. My hands went numb, my neck prickling as it flushed.
“Sure, I’ll um, ask my roommate,” I stammered. It would be a no-brainer for Hannah to join me; she’d basically been on her knees pleading with me to do exactly that since things ended with Vince.
His cool confidence back in place, he held out his hand expectantly.
