Jett grinned. “You were cute in that long, red wig.”
My cheeks flushed with heat. “Thanks.”
“Of course,” he said under his breath, “I prefer brunettes.”
I stiffened for a blink, liking the fact that I fit into that category.
“Andgreen eyes,” he added. Another feature that described me. He was probably just messing with me now. Next he’d say he liked theater girls who wore lots of rings.
“Here’s the topic for you two,” Ms. Tolken said as she shuffled up to our desk. She slid a bright red envelope onto the desktop and hurried over to Ky and Levi’s next, sliding a pale green one before the pair. I glanced about to see the others in the classroom. Maddie’s envelope was pale yellow. Another, deep blue. What was with the color-coding?
I looked back down at the envelope resting between Jett and me, feeling the heat of his gaze on my face. I glanced up to meet his eye.
Jett unleashed that grin of his. “Who’s going to open it?” He said it like it was a dare. Just ask Fiona Tisdale, my very intelligent mother, how well dares work on me.
I snatched the envelope, flipped open the unsealed flap, and pried it open with hurried fingers. There, tucked into the small space, bright white against the red, laid a slip of paper. Black ink spelled out our topic, the one we were meant to research—together—for the next two weeks.
Anticipation stirred wildly in my chest. My heart thumped out a few extra beats as I lifted my chin to locate Ms. Tolken. Her eyes were set right on me, and something in the sparkle behind those massive frames said she’d given us the topic on purpose.
“So?” Jett urged. “What does it say? What’s our topic?”
I looked up to Jett, trying very hard not to focus on those big, kissable lips, and cleared my throat. “It’s the Chemistry of a Kiss.”
Chapter Two
Ido not want to kiss Jett Bryant. I do not want to kiss Jett Bryant. I have a boyfriend and he’s the only guy I want.
It occurred to me as I waited for TJ to pull up to the curb in his dad’s Chevy that I was chanting in my head. Who cared? It was all true. TJ was an amazing boyfriend who was taking time out of his day to come and get me from school so we could hang out.
A bright yellow school bus let out a loud whoosh as it came to a stop nearby. The doors hissed open, and a long line of students began filing in. Further down, students flooded the parking lot like insects in an ant farm, busily hurrying to get to the next place.
The chemistry of a kiss.What in the world kind of topic was that? And why did it keep triggering thoughts of that party back in middle school? Of the moment I decidednotto kiss Jett Bryant. A decision that was either the best or the worst I’d ever made. It all depended on my mood.
I squinted against the sun, glad it had made an appearance today, and sighed. November in Sweet Water was chilly. Good thing I’d brought my jacket. I tightened it around me and folded my arms against the breeze. It was then I heard a loud, growling noise coming from the other side of the lot. I turned, a bit of dread sparking as I laid eyes on the sight. TJ, dressed in black from head to toe, straddled a massive motorcycle, his blondish brown hair tossing in the wind.
Was he kidding? I hated bikes. Hate hate hate.
“Tell me that isnotyour boyfriend.”
I stiffened at the sound of Jett’s voice. Talk about bad timing. Never once had TJ shown up on some sputtering death machine with black smoke pluming from the tailpipe.
TJ veered toward us, but he hadn’t slowed down enough. My eyes widened in horror as the bike sped toward the curb just inches from my feet. The shortest distance between two points was a straight line, and if I didn’t move out of the way in point five seconds, I’d become sidewalk kill in front of Jett and the awkward, gawking freshmen on the bus.
The thought came to me faster than my feet could move, but suddenly that didn’t matter because a pair of strong arms hoisted me right off the ground and yanked me out of the way.
I felt myself teeter as my rescuer caught his footing, the masculine, spicy scent of him confirming just who it was. A large hand cradled my hip as I steadied my feet and spun to face him. He hadn’t exactly let go of me yet, so that put us face to face and hands (mine) to chest (his). At least it hadn’t gone the other way around; the freshmen would have really had something to talk about then.
“Are you okay?” he breathed, concern etched on his handsome face.
“Me?” I squeaked.Whoa.That was one muscled chest. I forced my palms away from the wonderfully warm contours and nodded. “I’m…yes. Thank you.” I stepped back and spun to see what had happened to TJ.
Beyond a crowd of mumbling spectators, I caught sight of a spinning tire. The bike had made it up the stairs, a small flight of half a dozen, and was sputtering on its side, spewing plumes of black smoke.
“That was wicked,” TJ bellowed as he leaned down to pick up the bike.
“You know, you were right,” Jett said.
I tore my eyes off the sight to glance over at Jett, not fully able to wipe the annoyed sneer off my face. TJ had nearly killed me and all he was doing was soaking up the glory of a bunch of high school kids.
