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He sighed. “I don’t know, okay? I don’t know.” He dropped his forehead to mine.
I sympathised, really. But, now was not the time for this.
“I’ve got to get back to class. I’ll see you later?”
“You don’t want to be seen with me?” he asked, his tone dry. “Maybe a little bit of competition will light a fire under Carter’s arse.” His hand fell to my waist and he leant closer.
“Firstly, any guy who only wants me when there’s competition isn’t worth my time. Secondly, I don’t care if we’re seen together. I assumed you did.”
Well, I sort of did. But, not for the reasons he’d assume. I wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed I’d spent time with him or I’d slept with him. I was still worried people would spend hours berating me, making me doubt my decisions and just rain down on my parade. People finding out would ruin it, make me question him and myself, and the last thing I wanted was it being ruined. I wanted to keep feeling good about it, and about him.
“And, what if I only want you because there’s competition?”
I snorted. “You, jealous of Mason? No, I don’t think so.”
He looked at me seriously. “And, if I was?”
I looked at him seriously back. “Last term or this term?”
“Does it matter?”
“Of course it does. Last term, your motivation is highly suspect. This term, you being jealous would actually be kind of cute.”
“Cute?”
I nodded, looking into his eyes. They were warm even though his face was stony. “Like you and Maddy.”
He grabbed me around the waist and I stifled a giggle against his shoulder.
“If you bite me again, Barlow, I may try to persuade you to ditch next lesson.”
I found his eyes again and saw him smiling at me playfully. “Well, we couldn’t have that.” I gave him a peck on the lips and wriggled out of his arms. “I have to go. I’ll see you later.”
“So, Icansee you around?”
“Lombardi, you can do whatever you want,” I chuckled, walking away from him backwards.
“Kiss you on the oval?”
I grinned and checked no one was watching. “If you wanted to ruin your reputation, yes. But somehow, I don’t think you will.”
He looked genuinely surprised, but pleased. “Oh, you think you know me so well, Barlow? How’s that?”
I grinned and gave him a wink. “Takes one to know one, Lombardi.”
“That it does.” He gave me a slow smile that warmed me up inside and out.
I ducked my head and hurried out of the library. When I skidded back into class, I had to force my face out of its ridiculous happy dance.
“Where’s your book, Piper?” Mrs Carstone asked, pleasantly.
I looked up quickly and felt the blush. “Uh, they didn’t have it…”
She smiled. “Ah, well. Maybe next time.” She pointed to my seat and I collapsed into it.
Hadley leant over to me. “Run into Mason, did we?” she whispered.
I grinned, but didn’t answer her.
Let her think what she wanted.
