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“Which I bet you could skip because I’m certain you’ve never missed a class in your life unless you were deathly ill or something.” He followed beside me. What he said was true. I’d never missed a class.
“You’re being very presumptuous,” I said as I ascended the steps of Andrews Hall for my final class of the day. I paused at the top step. “Are you going to follow me to class?”
“I might. Are you seriously ditching me for your class?”
“Yes.”
“Aww, that’s kind of rude.”
“I can tell you’re heartbroken,” I deadpanned before I passed through the building entrance. “I really have to go.”
He shrugged a shoulder and shoved a hand in his pocket. “All right, then. Run along to your class, Natalie. I’ll get a lunch out of you, eventually.”
“Probably not,” I quipped. “But thanks anyway.”
“We shall see, won’t we?”
I made it to my advanced chemistry class with a minute to spare. Shelling out my laptop from my overstuffed backpack, I forced the strange conversation with Axel from my mind. He must’ve been having a slow day to follow me to class and try to convince me to go have lunch.
However, after class, I drew up short when I saw him standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall, waiting. “You’re still here?”
“Told you I’d get that lunch date.” He pushed off the wall and fell in step with me.
Before I could protest, he was leading me out of Andrews Hall in the direction of the student center, where all the fast-food kiosks were. “I’m really not—”
“You really are,” he cut in. “Stop raining on my parade,” he teased. “Let me be the gentleman and offer a beautiful lady lunch, okay? If for nothing else, do it to humor me.”
I sighed but relented only because I was hungry and was going to grab something to eat anyway.
He took me to a very popular burger joint nestled in the heart of the student center. “They have the best burgers in town.” He smiled smugly, flashing two perfect dimples.
“I don’t eat beef.”
“Oh.” Holding the door open, he paused as his smile fell. “Do you eat chicken? The chicken sandwich is good. They have vegetarian options, too. Or I can take you somewhere else.” He continued to stand in the doorway, blocking the people behind us
“No, it’s fine,” I said quickly, aware of the crowd around us waiting to enter. Finally, he stepped aside to allow me to pass ahead of him. I looked at the huge menu board hanging behind the counter. There were a lot of options, and I ate other meats, just not beef. Wait. I was actually agreeing to have lunch with him.
How did I let him lead me this far? I normally didn’t do this. I’d never had the attention of one of the hottest people on campus before. I’d never had the attention of anyone like this before.It’s just lunch, Natalie.
I ordered a chicken sandwich, and he ordered a burger. I opened my backpack to pull out my debit card, ready to pay for my half, but he closed his hand over mine, causing me to jump from the contact. I was nervous and jittery, but he only shook his head. “I’ve got this.” He was already paying before I could argue.
He grabbed our drinks and led me through the crowd. The place was wall-to-wall packed with students, and as far as I could tell, there was no available seating. I followed him to the back of the place to a corner booth that was already occupied by two large guys wearing Falcons Football T-shirts. “’Sup, Axel?” one of them said.
He nudged his chin in acknowledgment. “Hey, man, I need this table.”
“Sure, you can sit with us.”
“Nah, you misunderstood. This ismytable, so you two are gonna have to bounce.”
His table? I glanced at him in disbelief. One of the guys was halfway between taking a bite of his burger and eying him with uncertainty. Axel didn’t waver as he waited impatiently, tapping his high-top Jordans. Soon, both guys dropped their burgers onto their trays and got up without a word.
With a pleasant smile on his face, Axel directed me to sit in the newly vacated booth and slid into the spot across from me. I guess I still wore a look of surprise, and he shrugged without a care. “It’s my table.” As if his three simple words made all the sense in the world. Then, I noticed a picture of him holding a trophy in a Falcons jersey, with his signature hanging on the wall between us. I guess itwashis table.
I folded my hands and stared at my drink. “Do you always get what you want?”
Taking his straw with the corner of his mouth, he slowly lapped it with his tongue before his sensuous lips closed over the straw as he took a pull. The look he gave me clearly said,What do you think?
Great. No lack of self-confidence.
