A particular text catches her eye, and she hooks her finger on the edge of the binding, pulling it out.
“What are we reading?”
She gasps, and the book tumbles from her hands and onto the floor. Roman bends down to pick it up, handing it to her. Her eyes take in his hunched figure, and for a moment, she forgets she’s irritated that he’s late, her body betraying her when their fingers brush as she takes it from him.
Shrugging her shoulders to ease her nerves, she returns it to the shelf, not making eye contact.
“Don’t sneak up on people like that,” she mumbles, moving toward the desk with a hand over her chest.
“Sorry.” Her eyes snap up at the deep rumble of his voice. She takes in his flushed cheeks, wind-tousled hair. Effortless ability to look so …
No.
She clears her throat and drops into her chair as he simultaneously sinks into the one opposite her. She rubs her hand against her temple, glancing at the clock.
“Forget to drink again?” he asks with a carefree smile, extending his bottle to her over the desk.
“No,” she says, her tone more clipped than she intends. “I’ve just had a long day.” She says, but his fingers are fast at work on his phone screen.
You’re kidding.
Her eye twitches as she takes in his relaxed posture. He should be opening his laptop, apologizing for being late, thanking her for staying, for waiting. Her hand fists by her mouse as she resists the urge to throw a wad of paper at him.
Instead, she sighs. “Do you have everything?” she asks, typing. There’s no reply from him so she looks over the screen. “Roman?” she calls out, eyebrows raised.
He looks up, clicking the phone shut. “Everything?”
In her head, she mocks him. In real life, she nods slowly as if she’s talking to a five-year-old.
“For the exams?”
“Shit. Yeah, um?—”
She leans back, running a hand over her mouth as he jerks his bag around. His phone vibrates again, and he checks the screen. “It’s here somewhere.”
Her eyes fly to the clock again, her body starting to grow heavy with fatigue.
His hand stops moving. “Shit.”
She shakes her head, her lips flattening. “You don’t have it, do you?” She crosses her arms across her chest, staring hard.
He slides a hand through his hair. “I must have left it on my desk. Fuck.”
“Of course you don’t.” Jahlani scoffs, shaking her head as she closes the laptop, standing up abruptly. She grabs the stack of papers in front of her and starts shoving them into her bag.
“Jahlani, I’m so sorry.”
Her hands work more quickly to pack, the sincerity in his voice making her stomach twist.
“Maybe we could just do this tomorrow, or we can run back to my place really quick? I’ll cook? We can make a date out of it,” he says. His tone is playful. Smooth. And on any other day, she would have brushed it off. She would have ignored him.
But tonight, she’s pissed.
“Stop it,” she says as she turns toward him, her skin on fire. She tries to keep her voice even as she speaks. “Just … stop.”
The grin on his face falls, and he wets his lips. “Look, I really am sorry. A lot has been happening lately.”
She scoffs, throwing her head back. “I don’t know what’s more insulting,” she says, pointing. “You showing up late, wasting my time, or you thinking that you couldflirtyour way out of a sincere apology because I’m awoman.”
