Barry’s eyes widened a fraction then narrowed.“Who the hell are you?”
“Someone who heard Saylor tell you to take your hands off her.”Towering over Barry’s 5’10” frame and probably outweighing him by fifty pounds, Cash’s sheer physicality was enough to force Barry to take a step back.
Barry redirected his focus on me.“Why do you have to be a challenge?”he whined.
“Because I have zero interest in you, which your inflated ego can’t seem to figure out,” I shot back.“Oh, and Barry?The entire team turns in notes on the other members.You may be the director, but you don’t have the final word about how the project played out.You may want to remember that when you’re writing your director’s notes.”
I spun on my heel and headed in the direction of the Union.A lovely spicy citrusy scent wafted over me as Cash fell into step beside me.
“Are you on your way to class, or can I interest you in coffee at the Union?”he asked, a smile in his voice.
Shooting him a side-eye, I asked, “Are you a mind reader?I was just headed to the Union for some much-needed caffeine.”
Lightly bumping his shoulder to mine, he said, “Brilliant minds think alike.”
Chapter Twelve
Saylor
“For the record,I didn’t need your help back there,” I said as we waited in line for coffee at the Union.
Cash pulled a face, but before he could contradict me, I added, “But your presence sped up what could have been a lengthy confrontation.So thanks.”
He stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his shorts.“Anytime.What’s the deal with that douche anyway?He’s your director?”
“Film 301 stuck me with him for a group project.It took me until about halfway through the semester to suss out Barry had sucked up to the TA and made a specific request to have me on his team ‘because of my incredible editing skills.’”I rolled my eyes hard enough to pull a muscle.“My strength is cinematography, and he knows it, but he thought he could control me more in the editing room.”I let go a wicked little chuckle.“When our full team meets today for the final run-through of the movie, he’s going to get a surprise.”
“Wish I could be there to watch.”The way Cash’s eyes danced in delight heated a spot deep in my core, and I dug my nails into the palm of my hand to distract myself from his effortless hotness.
“You don’t even know what I did.”
He chuckled.“Don’t have to.”Reaching past me, he snagged my coffee from the barista and handed it to me before grabbing his own.
By silent mutual agreement, we headed toward the tables on the north side of the cafeteria where the sun wasn’t streaming directly through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Based on the vibe I got from your response to that guy, I have the idea you’ve put your own stamp on the project.Out of curiosity, how did you throw him under the bus in class?”
“You heard that part, huh?”I tossed my bag into the empty chair beside me as I took a seat across the table from Cash.
Today he was wearing a blue-and-gold Wildcats football T-shirt and low-slung workout shorts, a pair of Hey Dudes on his bare feet.His outfit screamed “gym rat,” but the way he carried himself, so loose and sexy, and the way his shoulders, chest, and biceps stretched that shirt, left me a little breathless.He set his backpack on the empty chair beside him and sat.
His eyes smiled over the rim of his cup as he tipped back some of the Americano I noticed he’d topped up with cream.
With a sigh, I said, “Barry desperately wants to be one of the cool kids, and this semester in the film school, that means making something edgy with kick-ass special effects.Since it’s his turn to direct a project, he got to choose the script.The guy is low on imagination, so when he saw on the syllabus that our project had to include those special effects, his mind could only go to sci-fi, which he knowsnothingabout.”
My emphasis on the word “nothing” brought another smile to Cash’s eyes.
“Which he proved with his assignment today in Sound Design.When Dr.Gardener asked me for my thoughts on his project, I was honest.If she gives him a C- on it, that’ll be generous.”I blew at my bangs.“Honestly, I must have pissed someone off in the registrar’s office for me to have the unfortunate circumstance of sharing two classes with one ‘Barnard ‘Call Me Barry’ Brown.”
Cash snorted.“Are you serious?That’s how the guy introduces himself?”He laughed again.“Thanks for skipping the introductions.”
“He’s a legacy Pike.”
Cash’s raised brows accompanied his “So what?”
“So he thinks he’s a big man on campus and I should be falling at his feet to date him.”
With a sage nod, he said, “You have much better taste than that.”Then he ruined it with a sexy smirk.
