My mouth drops open and Carter’s gentle finger lifts up my jaw. He grins. Besides that my cheeks are hot, his touch does nothing to me. It doesn’t make me want to jump in his arms. It doesn’t make me want to place my cheek on his chest to listen to his heartbeats.
“Very cute. I noticed you as soon as you first walked into the classroom. You like keeping to yourself. And you like keeping your eyes down on your notebook.”
My heart doesn’t do a flip. My skin doesn’t tingle with unknown sensations.
“Will you go out with me?”
I almost choke on my own saliva. This is my chance for normalcy. Carter is everything I’ve ever wanted. He walked out of my dream board into my reality. Maybe I could learn how to love him. Maybe he’s my chance to make my dreams into reality. Victor’s leaving for Vegas anyway…
“Tia, say something please? You okay?”
I shake my head.
It’s time to make a new dream board.
“I’m sorry, Carter. There’s someone else.”
I stand up from my chair and freeze. Victor is leaning on the doorframe only three or four chairs away. I don’t know if he’s heard anything, but his face is unreadable. It reminds me of his expression in the YouTube videos, right before he gets in the cage. His arms are crossed over his chest and one foot is pressed against the wall.
Carter follows my gaze and understanding flickers in his eyes. He stands up. “I’ll see you in class, Tia.”
I nod and he walks past Victor, doing a good job of ignoring him.
I’m a glutton for punishment. My dream guy walked away, and the man I love will walk away at the end of the semester.
Taking short breaths of air, I walk up to Victor and kiss his lips softly.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
He’s not moving from his spot. He gives me a tired sigh and wraps his arms around me. I melt like I always do in his arms.
I’ll take from this as much as I can, while it lasts.
“Should I be worried?” His voice trembles at the end.
“No.”
“Was that Carter?” He releases me and we start walking out of the building.
“How’d you guess?”
“Your dream board. I saw it when you first came to the apartment. Connected the dots.”
I swallow the wordsI love youand instead ask him what he’s doing here.
“I’m walking you to work.”
“But aren’t you supposed to be at your dad’s gym?”
“Yeah, but I can do a workout at the gym here, while you work.”
I grip his muscular forearm. “I don’t want your dad—coach—to push you too far again because of me.”
I try to empty my mind of all the images of Victor’s bruised back and bloody legs.
“I can handle it.”
