I laugh and start strolling again, glancing at her as I go. “Are you asking me out?”
Her jaw drops. “What?” She follows me down the path, hero boy a distant memory. “No!”
“Oh, I just thought…” I frown, feigning confusion. “You don’t have to be shy. I’m pretty sure you just told me I should go out with you. I don’t usually do these things, but I will ’cause you’re pretty cute.”
Her smile grows.
Her smile... That smile.
“You’re so corny, Konnor,” she says throughthat smile.
“Oh, I know. Corny Konnor Slater. Don’t tell anyone—that would totally ruin my street cred.”
She bats her lashes at me, and my heart skips a beat. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“So, what are you studying?” I ask.
“Music.” She says it with love.
“Cool. What are your electives?”
We wander past a spot we’d passed fifteen minutes ago, and I try not to notice.
I wish the campus was bigger.
“I’m doing Child Development 123 and Beginners Education to Music 103,” she answers.
“BEM 103 is one of mine!” I say, with more enthusiasm than I should show.
She giggles again; my level of cool dwindles. It’s those fucking brown eyes that are doing it.
“What do you mean ‘one of mine’?”
“I’m a grad student. That’s one of my classes, so you may have me as a tutor.”
“Really?” She sounds happy about that.
“Yeah, there’s a one-in-three chance you’ll get me.”
She tucks a lone blonde strand behind her ear. “Will you go easy on me?”
Ah, shit.
Is she flirting with me?
I wish I wasn’t smiling so damn hard, butmy cheeks actually hurt. “If I get you as a student then…” I pause on the ‘yes’ I’d planned to say. “No.”
She sucks in a quick breath, then turns to face me with a grin so wide I can see her tongue poking out between her teeth. “And why not?”
I cock an eyebrow. “Because someone like you would see right through me if I went easy on you.” My heart hammers against my ribs.
Bold move, Slater.
She doesn’t respond immediately, her eyes searching mine. “You think you’ve got me figured out already?” she finally asks, blushing. “I don’t plan on disappointing you.”
I chuckle, shuffle-walking while facing her. “Look, I know your brother pretty well, so I haven’t set the bar very high for you. You should be fine.”
“Oh, that’s thoughtful.” She playfully knocks me with her elbow, and it’s easy as fuck.
