Rush:Unless you decide to stand me up again.
A wicked smile spread across my lips.
He'd fallen for my act hook, line, and sinker. It hadn't been my intention, but when the idea had popped into my head, I couldn't resist. I hadn't expected him to believe me so easily since he could take any woman home, so why would he have cared about me being willing to go with him? He'd made it very clear in the past that he wasn't interested in me. Heck, he'd been with a girl right before we'd talked, who would have for sure taken him up on his offer. She hadn't even cared that he'd called her the wrong name! If that didn't prove how easy it was for him to get women, then I didn't know what did.
After I'd heard him say my name while making out with another girl, I'd gotten a little ballsy. I couldn't stop my feet from walking up to him and smugly telling him that I'd heard his little mix-up. And that it hadn't been just any girl's name he'd said, it had been mine.
Ever since the night of the press conference, he'd seemed hell-bent on proving that he could still have me if he wanted me. What he didn't know was that when Southern women get madder than a wet hen, we will be more stubborn than a mule.
Me:As much as I would love to do that again, I have a job to do.
Harsh? Maybe, but I didn't want my feelings yanked around. It was better if he thought he no longer had any effect on me. Call me childish, but there had been a real sense of pride at being able to walk away from Rush at the party the other night when I had wanted to meet him back at his place too.
Rush:Thanks for trying to spare my feelings.
Me:Like how you spared mine after the night of the bonfire?
I stared down at my phone, surprised I had sent that bold of a text. It took almost a whole minute before the dots appeared, signaling he was typing.
Rush:I never meant to hurt you, Scarlet.
I read his text three times. Even through texting, I liked him using my name, almost as much as I still loved hearing him say it.
His words rang sincere, but I couldn't risk letting my guard down.
Me:Whatever. I'm over what happened. What I'm not over is guys who think they are God's gift to women and then treat me like I'm disposable.
I placed my phone face-down on my nightstand, not interested in whatever his reply might be. I definitely felt feisty, which was good because I was going to need it this afternoon.
Hearing him say my name on an aroused exhale, even when he had been with another woman, had messed with my head. Why had my name been the one on his lips? If he wanted me so badly, then why had he dropped me like yesterday's news? Was it all about the chase for him?
It didn't matter anyway. Rush was ancient history.
Except he was currently very much in my present.
Ugh. I let out a heavy sigh that sounded loud in my quiet dorm room.
Olivia had already left since she was a morning person. She'd already exercised, gotten ready, and finished one class already. Overachiever.
Pulling back my comforter, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and made my way to the bathroom to start getting ready for the day.
Did I spend more time on my makeup than I normally did and make sure that my hair was bouncy curl perfection? Yes, I did. Did it have anything to do with spending time with Rush later today? Of course not.
Okay, fine it did, but just because I didn't want anything to do with him didn't mean that I didn't want him to realize what he’d missed out on and now could never have.
The weather had started to change and fall was setting in, so I put on a fitted sweater dress and paired it with some boots. My tan from this summer hadn't completely faded yet, making the cream-colored dress look great against my skin.
Picking my bag off the floor and throwing it over my shoulder, I felt ready to conquer the day. I grabbed my phone, and even though I expected to see Rush's name on my screen, it still sent a flutter through my stomach. Tapping on the screen I pulled up his message.
Rush:I truly am sorry.
Whatever. I clicked the button, my screen turning black, before shoving it in a side pocket in my bag. His texts were just words, and those words were too little, too late.
Stepping out into the hallway I ran into a tall, hard body.
"Oof." I stumbled back.
Looking up, a pair of icy blue eyes met mine. Slate. His dark hair was disheveled, and the click of the closing door from the next room over echoed through the hall.
