She steamrolls me by saying, “Well, I’m going to give you my two cents whether you want it or not.”
This is one of those situations where I need to nod my head while pretending to agree with her sage advice before steering us into a new conversation that has nothing to do with Carter.
“I think the reason Carter’s behavior bothers you is because deep down, you like him. In fact, I suspect that you’ve liked him since freshman year.” After dropping that bomb, Olivia sits back and studies me. “Otherwise you would ignore him and his antics, and you don’t. Everything he says and does drives you nuts. It’s so classic.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, B.F. Skinner, but you couldn’t be more wrong.” A sick knot settles in the pit of my belly.
A smile spreads across her face that makes me grit my teeth.
I shake my head. “I don’t like him, Olivia.” Now she’s just pissing me off. “He’s the last person I would ever look at.”
“Uh-huh. Go on.”
I really hate when she tries to shrink-wrap me. “Why would I like someone whose sole purpose in life is to annoy me? Does that make any sense? Do you know how masochistic that would be?”
When she says nothing, perspiration breaks out across my brow as I shift with unease. “Plus, he hates me.” It feels like I’m grasping at straws. “You see the way he treats me.”
“Actually, I don’t think he hates you at all.”
I moisten my lips, wishing we could just drop the subject. “Yes, he does,” I insist.
He’s proven it a hundred different times. I’d have to be an idiot notto realize it. Olivia doesn’t pay attention to all the little digs he gets in or the way he constantly baits me into reacting.
I open my mouth to tick off the first dozen instances that pop into my head when she says, “He watches you.”
All the words on the cusp of exploding from my lips are replaced with, “Huh?”
“He watches you,” she repeats more slowly. “When you’re not looking.”
The agitation swarming around in my belly dissolves. Warmth blooms in its place. I quickly tamp it down and roll my eyes because what she’s saying isn’t true. “That’s probably because he’s busy plotting his next diabolical plan to drive me over the edge. It wouldn’t surprise me if he has a hidden lair with lots of high-tech equipment.”
A smile simmers around the edges of her lips as she shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s the reason.”
I’m afraid to ask.
“I’ve told you before,” she says. “There’s an awful lot of sexual chemistry between you two.”
Poor Olivia. She’s delusional from lack of sex or something like that. Can you go crazy from remaining a virgin for too long?
I’ll have to google it.
“Sorry, Jean Piaget, but you’re wrong about that as well. There’s absolutely no sexual chemistry between us. None.” That might be something of a lie. Thereisan unwanted energy that hums between us, but it’s completely one-sided. And if I could make it go away, I would. In a heartbeat. Carter’s the last person I want to be attracted to. It’s like a cruel joke.
“You have to admit that he’s pretty hot,” Olivia adds slyly.
Oh, for goodness’ sake.
“He’s okay,” I lie. “If you’re into his brand of handsome. Which I’m not,” I mumble under my breath.
“Sure, because who doesn’t like tall, dark, and handsome?” A dreamy look fills her eyes. “Not to mention all those muscles.”
I squash any jealousy that is trying to fight its way to the surface.
Thankfully, Olivia shakes herself free from those thoughts before I have to do something drastic, like slap her silly. “Sorry, where was I?”
I give her the stink eye. “You were talking about Carter’s muscles and drooling like most of the girls on campus.” With a scowl, I plant my hands on my hips. “I’m really disappointed in you, Olivia. I thought you were made of sterner stuff than that.”
“What can I say?” She shrugs. “I’m a sucker for hot men.”
