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“Nick would do the same for you.”
“He would.” She smiled. “And speak of the devil.” Kenzie peered through the window as Nick, Axel, and Roman strolled up with Dmitri a few steps behind him, with a tall, lithe redhead at his side. God, could he go anywhere without having someone at his side? She pulled a pen from her purse and wrote something on his hand.
“What’s wrong, Sorina? You seemed very distracted today.” Theo asked, glancing down at my hand balled around a butter knife.
She noticed, too? I inwardly chastised myself, releasing the knife, and drew my gaze away fromhim. “I’m fine. Thinking about all the things I have to do this weekend. Also, when am I going to have time to write this paper?”
“You’re a procrastinator, too? Guess I’ll have to pull an all-nighter tonight.”
“You can pull an all-nighter with me.” Roman sat down beside her and pecked her lips with a smile.
“I know I could. But not tonight; you have a game tomorrow.” She smoothed her hands over his chest. “We’ll do our all-nighter after your game.” I turned aside because this was a little too much TMI for me. I caught Axel’s gaze, who’d just walked in, and he winked, pulling up a chair. But before he could, Dmitri shoved him aside and dropped down beside me.
“We playing musical chairs today?” Nick raised his eyes with his arm slung around Kenzie’s shoulder.
“No. Just here to have lunch with the ‘family.’” Dmitri folded his hands on top of the table as he glanced at me briefly before addressing him. “I feel like I’ve been left out.” Nick and Dmitri looked like they were having a telepathic conversation of some sort. I swear, these guys.
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.” Nick nodded in understanding.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
Carly:Do u need a ride to practice today?
I felt his presence over my shoulder, but I ignored him, still fuming over the beautiful redhead who hung on his every word minutes before. Luckily, she wasn’t joining us.
Before I could respond, Dmitri leaned into my ear. “I’ll take you.”
I opened my mouth to say no, then reprimand him for being nosy, but his large hand clamped on my thigh, shutting me up. “Don’t argue with me,” he said quietly as his thumb circled my skin, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep calm. Not even twenty minutes had passed since I saw him flirting with someone, and I was melting under his touch. Apparently, I had no sense. I tried to remove his hand, but he didn’t budge. For the rest of lunch, his hand stayed on my thigh as he carried on with his friends as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Walking with him down the sidewalk after lunch to the parking lot, I still questioned my sanity. I sped up my steps, contemplating sprinting away. However, I caught his size sixteen Air Jordans in my peripheral; apparently, he was going to follow me. “Do you have nothing better to do?” Like your redheaded fangirl?
“I have some free time on my hands.”
“Really? How surprising is that?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You worried about how I conduct my time?”
“No.”
“I wish I could say the same about you.”
“Too bad, it’s really none of your concern. Look, forget about the ride. I can manage.”
I followed the sidewalk as we approached the parking lot. He clenched my wrist, stopping me. “Stop arguing with me.”
I gripped his hand, prying it off. “Stop being so damn overbearing.”
He ignored me and guided us to his car.
The protest fell away when I noticed a name, phone number, and a heart scripted in his palm. “New tattoo? A name and number? How innovative. And the little heart gives it such an added touch.” His redhead had left her number on his hand. How retro. How vomit inducing.
He shrugged in annoyance. “It will wash off.”
“Oh no, you mean it’s not permanent?” My lips turned down in fake sadness. “It would’ve been easier to let her plug her number in your phone. Or have her message your social media. Do you have something against technology?”
“No. You know I don’t give a shit about social media. Besides, I didn’t ask for her number.”
“Forget the ride.” I tried to fling my arm off, but he clamped down tighter.
