Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 107077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
I don’t like it.
Not one bit.
All I can say is that it’s been a long time since I’ve been with a guy. That’s the only reasonable explanation for my reaction and the excitement rushing through my system, lighting me up from the inside out. It’s almost a relief when my shoulder crashes into the concrete, filling me with pain, before I scramble onto my hands and knees. Even though I tell myself to avoid all eye contact, my gaze darts to his.
A smile curves his lips as his broad shoulders shake with silent laughter. That’s all it takes for heat to flood my cheeks. In one swift motion, I jump to my feet and dust off my jeans. He does the same with a surprising amount of grace. Especially for someone his size.
This run-in has left me feeling out of sorts and panicky. The humiliation coursing through my system is palpable. As much as I want to pretend I feel nothing for this guy, that’s clearly not the case. I’d thought it was simply annoyance, but now I realize it goes much deeper. Honestly, I couldn’t be more disappointed in myself. When it comes down to it, I’m no different from all the silly groupies on this campus who throw themselves at his feet, begging for scraps of attention. If I understand anything from what just happened, it’s that I need to get away from Asher and avoid him like the plague.
I spot my phone and bag on the concrete a few feet away. The backpack must have slipped from my shoulder when I smacked into this oversized neanderthal. As I pop a squat, he mimics the motion and our foreheads bump as we reach for the cell at the same time.
“Ow!” I grumble, pulling away and falling backward onto my ass. I rub my head and scowl. “Is it possible for you to stay out of my way for one minute?”
His smile never falters and for some reason, that pisses me off even more.
“I’m just trying to help.”
“Well, don’t,” I snap. “You’ve done quite enough as it is.”
“You do realize that you’re the one who was staring at your phone and not paying attention to where you were walking, right? By the time I saw you, it was too late.”
Grrr.
He’s not wrong, damn him. I was staring at my cell.
Ignoring the comment, I hold out my hand. “Can I have my phone?”
His eyes glint in the morning sun streaming down on us. “Only if you tell me the magic word.”
“Now.”
He shakes his head. “Nope. Sorry, that’s not it.”
I will literally kill this guy.
With my bare hands.
“Please,” I growl.
There’s a pause before he carefully sets the cell on my palm. As soon as the plastic case makes contact, my fingers wrap around the slim device, and I rip it away. The only good thing about this conversation is that all the desire rushing through my veins has been snuffed out.
“You’re welcome.”
“Don’t push it,” I mutter, dropping my gaze to inspect the phone for damage.
Carefully, I brush away the debris and examine the screen. A breath of relief escapes as I scroll through a couple of apps and find everything to be in working order. For the second time in a matter of minutes, I rise to my feet before picking up my bag. Only then do I realize that there are papers scattered around us. Since my backpack is still zipped, they’re not mine. When Asher leans down to gather them up, I silently do the same.
I grab the closest one and glance at the top sheet. The first thing I notice is that it’s an exam for Relational Communications Theory. I took that class last year. Dr. Nichols can be a challenge, but she’s an excellent professor and I learned a lot from her. The second thing is that there are a ton of red marks that make the paper look like it’s been wounded and is slowly bleeding out. My gaze slides to the right-hand corner of the page and the number circled in bright red ink.
Sixty-three percent.
Shocker.
My previous embarrassment melts away as the corners of my lips lift. My gaze locks on his. “Ouch. That grade had to hurt.”
As much as I’d like to say I’m surprised he’s nothing more than a dumb jock, I’m not. It’s precisely what I suspected all along. In all honesty, it’s exactly the balm I needed to soothe my aggravation.
It’s as if everything has once again been righted in the world.
The smile plastered across his face falls away as a scowl takes over. With a flick of his wrist, he rips the test from my fingers before hastily gathering up the rest. Several pieces of paper get crushed in his large hands.
Not bothering to hide my interest, I catch a glimpse of more low grades. If I needed any further confirmation regarding his mental aptitude, I have it in spades.