How the hell does he know I hate the outfit? Did he see me kick the sweater? Or did he leave a camera in my room?
He steps closer, so I crane my neck.
“None of your business!” I bark. At least I think I do. His face so close to mine is distracting.
I try to grab the glasses, but he shifts his arm overhead, his superior height leaving no way for me to reach them.
“Answer me!”
Nice way of showing off what an actual bark sounds like. Deep voice, combined with his pretty face inching closer to mine, makes my skin prickle, each strand of hair paying salute to him.
But I think it’s about time I gave himan answer.
I slam my foot into his, which forces him to lower the hand holding my glasses, enough for me to snatch them.
“You wanna know why I dress like this on campus? It’s so I don’t attract the attention of the likes of you. I know who you are, and I wantnothingto do with you.”
The look he gives me screamsI’m going to eat you alive. Perfect! That’s what I’m aiming for. Not the ‘eating me alive’ part, of course, but the part where he tries.
I turn on my heels, flipping him the bird without sparing him another look.
Can’t wait to see what he tries next! Stealing my flip-flops, maybe?
For the rest of the day, I keep wondering if I went overboard with our meeting when he’s nowhere to be found.
And when the night comes, a tinge of panic creeps in.
Maybe I blew it?
The worst part is Atlas saw the real me. Toning down my fucked-up side around him doesn’t seem to be an option. It refuses to stay hidden.
I have to get back in the game if Atlas has stopped playing it, to cherry-pick only the personality traits he’ll obsess over, enough to keep the chase going. But that’s a battle for tomorrow.
At least for now, alone in my room or in my sleep, I don’t need to pretend.
Chapter 8
Atlas
Ismile when Summer flips me off, despite the pain in my foot. She hides herself so she won’t have to deal with the likes of me? Eclipsing the sun with her personality is what gave her away. But why is that exactly what draws me most?
In a sloth-like amble, I head back to the guys, turning every few steps to watch Summer disappear, dreading the growing distance between us.
“Did that girl stomp on your foot and give you the finger?” Link asks when I’m a few feet away.
“She waved goodbye.”
“She flipped you the finger.”
Killjoy!
“She waved a minimalistic goodbye.”With one very opinionated finger.
Those slender fingers... I’d like to see them wrapped around my—
“Ace...” Link interrupts the dirty thoughts running amok.
That’s what they’ve called me ever since we were kids. I used to cheat while playing cards and literally had an ace up my sleeve. I’venever cheated since then, but the nickname stuck.
