“Maybe I wanted to see you,” she said, meeting my gaze without flinching.
Bold. And stupid. “That’s your third mistake.”
“Third?” she asked, her head tilting slightly, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “What were the first two?”
“Being my lab partner. And showing up tonight.”
“Is scaring girls something you enjoy in your free time?” A small smile played at the corner of her mouth.
“Among other things.” I took a sip of my drink, busying myself so I didn’t reach for her.
Hales fingers brushed the edge of her mask, adjusting it slightly where it pressed against her temple. “Are these really necessary?”
“It’s Raven Night.”
“Is that supposed to mean something?” She looked around the room again.
“Yeah,” I said, following her gaze. “Trouble. You should go home while you still can. Call Paisley. Get out.”
“Am I in trouble?” She glanced back at me, wisps of dark lashes fanning as she blinked.
“Not yet.”But you will be if you stay.
She studied me for a long second, and I felt exposed despite the mask covering half my face. “I trust you.”
“You shouldn’t,” I replied, holding her gaze. “I’m serious. I’m not a nice guy. Not here. Not tonight.”
“Good thing I’m not looking for a nice guy.” Her chin lifted defiantly.
“You don’t know what you want.”
“I know you won’t let anything happen to me.” She said it with such certainty, grabbing the beer dangling between my fingers and taking a sip.
Her action wasn’t lost on me. She had deliberately drunk from my bottle to demonstrate her trust. Foolish. “And why would you think that?”
She grinned, her eyes twinkling in such a way I found so fucking beautiful it stopped my breath. “Because you need an A in AP biology.”
I chuckled, my lips curving to match hers.
This fucking girl.
My amusement surprised me as much as it did her, genuine, unguarded, and completely out of character for me. The world tilted a little, the ground shifting beneath my feet.What the hell is going on with me?
“Holy shit,” she said breathily, one hand coming up to press against her chest. “I think my heart just stopped. I wasn’t sure you were capable of smiling.”
“There hasn’t been much in my life worth smiling about,” I admitted as a group of girls walked behind me, pushing me closer to her. I kept my gaze on hers, wanting to see if she was as affected by my proximity as I was by hers, and was rewarded by the darkening of her irises.
I wanted to kiss her, and normally I wouldn’t have hesitated acting on those wants, yet I did…why? Was it Kaylor? The idea seemed ridiculous, given she was with my brother.
Movement flickered in my peripheral vision, just behind Hales, but by the time I shifted my gaze, Mason already had his hands around her waist, sliding around her as he pulled her back against his chest. “Hey, Freckles, you look hot.”
She went rigid in my twin’s arms. “If you don’t put me down, your balls are going to be extremely sore.”
Mason laughed, his eyes twinkling as he set her feet to the ground but kept his hands around her. “I love when you talk dirty to me.”
“Let her go, Mason,” I growled.
“We’re about to play a game. You in, Freckles?” he murmured into her ear.
