All eyes went to him immediately. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the grand entrance ensured by the wind or the presence he demanded all on his own.
But in walked what could only be described as a behemoth of a man who took up the entire doorway. Clad in well-worn work boots and equally distressed jeans, he had the appearance of someone who was not a stranger to working with his hands. The thick flannel he wore clung to thick arms as he threw his backpack over his shoulder. I wouldn’t have pegged him as a student, not because of his dress but because he had the appearance of being too old.
Once he turned toward us, I could see I was wrong.
His clear blue eyes were shining bright, and they were definitely those of someone our age.
Dark shadows hid in them, like a cloud covering the bright sun on a beautiful day. Like when a moment of darkness takes over, reminding you that everything can be gone in a flash.
His smile seemed a bit forced, too. As if he wasn’t sure he wanted to be in this room full of people, but he knew he needed to have a smile on, regardless. His eyes scanned its entirety but didn’t really see much of anything, I could tell.
Then his eyes landed on mine, and they stayed there.
They stayed there as he made his advance into the room.
And I couldn’t take mine from him.
Macie and I were walking toward the counter, heading to the woman waiting to help us. He was heading to the same counter since it held the dispenser for the numbers being called. We were going to make it there at the same time.
And our eyes were still glued to one another’s.
“Who is that?”
The voice at my side startled me out of the trance, and I broke the stare as I looked at Macie. She stared at the giant of a man as well, her curiosity piqued by his appearance. We were only feet from him and the woman was already asking me and Macie some questions. Macie was doing all the talking, taking care of her class concerns. But I was having trouble concentrating on what the woman said since my attention wanted to remain on this man who was standing a couple feet to my right.
He should have moved by now. He had his number already. Yet, he stood in place, stalling, looking around the room, almost pretending to figure out where to go to wait his turn.
He wasn’t fooling me, though.
Maybe he wasn’t trying to. Because he looked my way again.
Our eyes connected. Again.
Fuck, he was hot.
Like, seriously hot.
There hadn’t been a guy I had this much of an immediate physical reaction to since early freshman year.
“Ms. Kennedy?” A voice I’d never heard before saying my name startled me from my dirty thoughts. I turned to see the administrator and Macie both staring at me.
“Uhm, I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”
“Is this the class you need switched?” she said again, a bit annoyed this time. They were busy, and I knew that. She pointed to the class I needed changed on her computer screen, so I nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes, please. I’d like to be in the Monday, Wednesday section, if possible.”
The woman turned her back to us, working on her computer. Macie looked at me, her conspiratorial smile making me feel a bit uncomfortable.
“What?” I asked her, looking away. As I did, I realized immediately that my sexy distraction from only minutes before was already gone.
My eyes did a quick scan of the entire room to no avail; he must have gone outside.
Astonished at the disappointment I felt, I turned back toward Macie and the woman helping us. Macie leaned closer before whispering in my ear.
“He was really hot, wasn’t he?”
My head snapped to hers as my cheeks heated. Thankfully, our helper turned back around in her wheeled chair just in the nick of time.
