“I didn’t!” I protested quickly. Too quickly. I saw his frown. “She was implying we were together, and she’s one of the biggest gossips in the university and I —we— don’t need that kind of attention.”
“So you told the — and I quote — ‘biggest gossip in the university’ that I was stupid?”
“No!” I flushed because I knew my dad had implied it, and not in a kind way. “When asked how I knew you, I merely confirmed that you needed help with a class, and when I told her which class, she yawned and said no wonder.” I smoothed my hands down my thighs. “I never implied you were stupid or anything like that.”
“And the professor?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“Huh?” he mocked me. “Yourartprofessor, and don’t insult both of us, Sav, by denying that he isn’t.”
I drew myself up to my full height, all five feet five inches of me. “I donothave to explain myself to you.”
“But youdohave to explain what’s in that art shed tosomeone.”
“Dante . . .”
“I mean, I assume your father doesn’t know about how you’re hiding something in that shed of yours.” He flashed me that kilowatt smile, too sharp, too pointed. “About how you’d rather stab me with a glass shard than admit I’m right.” He looked me over slowly. “Is itjustyour art project you hide from your father, or the professor too?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks, fury blending with panic. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“And he does?” he spat.
What was that look? Was hejealous? No. Impossible. But that glower wasn’t fading. “You sound ridiculous,” I said briskly, watching his eyes narrow further. “As I said, it’s none of your business.”
“That’s the thing.” His voice lowered, a whisper sinking in deep. “I think it is. And I don’t like it. Drawing attention to yourself with the professor, not the smartest play, Cole. Which makes this dangerous — for both of us.”
I swallowed hard because he wasn’t wrong. Too many people paid attention to me for the wrong reasons, which had been demonstrated tonight, more than once. But Dante was being reckless to push me here, reckless to stand this close, and even more reckless with the way his gaze lingered on my mouth before flicking back up to my eyes.
“Go back to the party, Ten,” I whispered. “And stay out of my business.”
He smiled again, slow and unhurried. “Can’t do that, Sav. You’re already in mine.”
I moved to brush past him, but Dante shifted just enough to block me. Not touching, not crowding, but close enough that the air between us felt heavy.
“Move.” My voice was steady. Barely.
“Say please.”
I glared. “Now you’re just being a dick.”
“Maybe.” His grin briefly crossed his face, but his eyes stayed hard. “But you’re still here. Which means you might just be protesting too much about how much you dislike my attention on you,Savvy.”
I hated that my pulse kicked. “What are you talking about?”
“You like me.” His tone was even and matter-of-fact, like we were discussing the weather. “And you’ve been looking at me differently ever since you realized it. Don’t bother denying it.”
I crossed my arms, trying to build armor where none existed. “Or maybe I’m wondering why you’re so desperate to keep me close? Whatexactlydid I overhear the other night that would make the great Dante Spence, Mr. Cool as Icejumpy?” I watched him try not to react. Try not tosquirm. “You think flirting with me will distract me? Whether you mean it or not, I don't care. It won't work.” I scoffed. “You must think I’m stupid to fall for that kind of bullshit.”
“Never stupid.” He tilted his head and studied me with that unnerving calmness. “Curious. Determined. Stubborn as hell. Dangerous if you want to poke into things that don’t concern you.”
My throat tightened, but I forced a smirk. “Funny. I was going to say the same thing to you.”
His eyes flickered, amusement cut with something darker. “Maybe we’re bothflirtingwith danger.”
Silence lingered, thick with everything left unsaid. I could hear the faint drip of a faucet, the hum of a vent, and I felt his gaze like a hand on my skin.
Then he said softly, almost gently, “Careful, Sav. You keep this up, one of us is going to get burned.”
