“Didn’t believe me?” I snorted, tugging out the phone.
“Of course. I wanted you to be able to add me as a contact.” He pointed at my phone screen. “My name is spelled S-e-x-y F-r-i-e-n-d.”
I did laugh now. “You’re incorrigible.”
“That’s a word we don’t hear enough these days.Incorrigible. Your beauty is incorrigible.”
“That’s not how you use that word. Also is flirting the way you ‘friend’?”
“Friendis a verb now, is it?” he teased back. “And yes. It’s a disease I was born with, I’m afraid. I even flirt with my granny’s dog. Though I did have to stop because she took it as encouragement to hump my leg any bloody time she pleased.”
“I can guarantee you I won’t take your flirting as encouragement to hump your leg.”
“How disappointing.” He grinned wickedly.
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I take it back. Maybe I don’t want to be friends.”
“Too late, I have your number. And you should know I was that annoying child in preschool who hugged everyone and refused to go away and play with someone else when told to.”
Trying not to laugh at his silliness, and failing, I shook my head. “No, you weren’t.”
“No, really I was.” He cocked his head, studying my face. “You aren’t just placating me? You really mean you’re going to give this a shot?”
“Why do you want to be my friend so badly?” I blurted out.
Sebastian shrugged. “Because I like you.” He suddenly looked away, his expression grim. “People can be so disappointing, Lily.” He turned back to me, seeming sincere. “It makes you want to hold on to the ones you feel you can really trust.”
“And you think you can trust me? We don’t really know each other.”
“But my gut instincts are usually never wrong. I want to know you. I want you to know me. And if you decide you don’t want to be friends, that’s fine. I’d just like the chance to try.”
Friends.
That hadn’t stopped stinging quite yet.
Deciding I would leave the ball in his court, I got on my bike. “If you text, I promise I’ll answer. Goodbye, Sebastian.”
“See you soon, Lily,” he called after me as I rode off.
I was barely a minute from him when my mobile beeped in my pocket.
It could have been anyone, but when I got back to the flat, I anxiously pulled out my phone. There were several texts. One of them was from Sebastian.
Meet me for coffee at Books ’n’ Cup Monday at 11 a.m.?
My belly fluttered, which meant this was a very bad idea. But the coffee house he referred to was only a two-minute walk from my flat and I didn’t have a class then.
I replied before I could change my mind.
See you there.
Not a minute later, Sebastian replied:
Can’t wait.
CHAPTER NINE
LILY
