“Oh damn,” Ellie giggles under her breath as we step toward the philosophy lecture hall. “I’m proud of you, girl. You earned your turquoise.”
“Damn right!” I smile and pull the lecture hall door open, the scent of him smacking me in the face like a hard slap. I’ve been nervous to come back here all day, but actually being back here has me wondering if I can honestly finish the semester knowing I have to stare at the man whose face I was sitting on.
“Let’s catch up tomorrow night. My mom just informed me that she’s hiring a bodyguard to watch over me when I move to Rugged Mountain after graduation.” Her eyes roll to the side. “A bodyguard!”
I narrow my brows as we separate to our seats on the opposite side of the hall. “And why is this?”
“Adam,” she mouths as she takes her spot. “I’ll text you.”
I nod slowly and try to look as interested in what she’s saying for as long as possible. I mean… I am. Her mom hiring a bodyguard is borderline insane, though part of me is overly interested in the eyes staring at me from the front of the lecture hall.
Why is he staring?
When he said we should do the ‘right’ thing, I assumed that meant he’d no longer be looking at me.
Textbook in hand, I make my way toward my desk, third row to the right of the hall. Usually, Izzy sits next to me with her long braids and pretty rose gold jewelry that clinks and clanks when she writes. The sound is soothing. Today, though, Greg is sitting in her spot.
We don’t have assigned seats, though we were told to stay put after the first day of class. If I’d known Ellie was in class with me, I’d have made sure we were sitting together from the start.
“Hey.” Greg, who usually sits behind me, nods as I slide down into my seat. “I switched with Izzy today. I can’t see as well from where I’m sitting.”
I smile politely and settle in, flipping my textbook open before pulling up my notes on the iPad. I’m not sure why he thinks he’ll be able to see better one row up, but I don’t ask questions.
I’m pretty sure he’s in the pre-med program. I’m not sure why he would need this class, but if he says he can see better one row up, maybe he can.
“You, ugh, I saw you last night at Safeway.” He tries to look away from my breasts as he talks, but it’s a fruitless effort.
Oh God!
Part of me is flattered. I’ve never noticed him noticing me before.
“Yeah, I like to buy groceries at least once a week, sometimes twice. You know… food.” The corners of my mouth twitch upward in an awkward grin.
What’s happening here?
Greg is a handsome kid. He’s got the square jaw, the biceps, the broad shoulders, the straight, thin pretty-boy nose, but why is he looking at me? Or talking to me?
“You’re funny,” he laughs, brushing his hand against my shoulder.
It’s then that I feel the heat of a giant man behind me.
“What are you doing in this seat?” Professor Wilder’s rough voice shakes.
“Oh, it’s no big deal. Izzy switched with me. My eyes have been a little blurry lately. I can see better from here.” Greg says it so casually that I really believe him. Well, I would… if he hadn’t just been staring at my tits and laughing at my terrible joke about grocery stores.
Professor Wilder grunts, the same feral look in his eyes he had last night. “Then why are you touching Rosie? Did she ask you to touch her?”
Greg shakes his head. “No, I was just… I wasn’t really touching her. She said something funny, so I was—”
“Rosie,” Professor Wilder snaps, “did you want Greg touching you?”
I’m not sure what thecorrectanswer is. The truth is no, I don’t want Greg touching me, but this little outburst of jealousy from Professor Wilder is pretty hot, and I think I want to see where it’s going, so I shrug.
“You don’t know if you want him touching you?” Professor Wilder groans under his breath as he leans onto my desk, his nostrils flaring like a barbarian about to lose control.
“It’s not her fault, sir.” Greg glances toward me. Well, toward my breasts. “It’s my fault. I sat here. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”
My eyes widen. I’m more than a few semesters into college and I’ve never had any attention from any man in any class. Now the professorandsome kid I don’t know what to talk to me? I think I need to revisit my delusions because they might be taking over.
