“Bad book boyfriend,” I mutter.
He scrambles to his knees and leans over the side, one arm outstretched. From all the way down here on the floor, I’m not too sure how he plans on helping me up, but I’m in the mood to watch him try. I grab his hand, debating if I should bring him down with me, but in one way too easy motion, he pulls me up and into him. Before I know it, I’m sitting on his bed in front of him, my legs on either side of his knees.
“That was like performance art,” he whispers, his breath hot against my cheek.
Why is he whispering? Why am I still clasping his fingers in mine? And why does it feel like my stomach is churning like a washing machine?
“I hit my head!” I protest, releasing his hand and rolling over onto my side.
Getting all tingly over Wolinski? Girl, you seriously need to get laid.
Slowly, I slip my sneakers back on, all too aware of Donovan behind me.
“Wanna stay here, or you feel like heading back to Sweety’s?”
I glance over my shoulder. He’s pulling on a T-shirt, the muscles in his back flexing as he goes. I shudder.Bedroom + topless guy + girl who needs some action =…?
“Sweety’s!” I decide.
“Why are you yelling?”
It’s Wolinski, Wolinski, Wolinski…I repeat to myself.
I jump to my feet. “See you downstairs.”
Too bad about that iced tea.Maybe Sweety’s will have the cool-down I so clearly need right now.
I make a beeline for the living room and say my goodbyes to the Campus Drivers, before racing down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk, staring up into the bright blue of the sky, gasping for air. My brain definitely needs all the oxygen it can get.
10DONOVAN
Carrie falling on her ass must have really messed her up, because ever since that day, she’s been super weird. Some kind of brain injury, I’m guessing. I thought she’d been mellowing recently, but she’s now regressed back into the uptight librarian she was when we first met—bitchy putdowns and all. Today is the perfect example of how off she’s being—we’ve just met at the library, and I keep catching her looking over at me with this weird-ass expression on her face. And every time I glance her way, she snaps her eyes elsewhere as if she weren’t totally staring.
Carrie has never been normal, though. I need to remember that. I just feel like now she’s trying toactnormal and it’s freaking me out.
“You’re looking at me like you’re two seconds away from shoving that book down my throat,” I sigh, flipping a page. “Was that rimming joke too much?” I think for a moment. “I guess itdidsound better when Lewis told it.”
“I doubt it would sound better whenanyonetells it,” she says with an eye roll. “I’m just trying to figure out what to do with you. That’s why I’m looking at you.”
“Okay. Well, it’s… disturbing.”
“Poor baby!” She simpers. “It must besohard to be you. Sorry I’mnot eye-fucking you like your little fan club over there. Care to tell her we’re actually here to work?”
I follow her gaze. A cute redhead keeps glancing our way. She’s been checking me out since I got here—as subtle as a searchlight.
“It’s annoying as hell. I feel so bad for your future girlfriend.”
“Are you in a bad mood for any specific reasons,” I prod, “or is this just your default setting today?”
This isn’t the first time a girl has tried to pick me up during one of our classes, and it’s never bothered Carrie this much.
“I’m not in a bad mood, Donovan. This is just who I am. Got a problem with that?” She raises an eyebrow.
“I mean—”
“It’s settled, then,” she cuts in. “So, what chapter are you on?”
“Chapter eleven.”
