Holy shit.
Did she just say that? Did I hear that right?
“Please don’t be me, please don’t be me,” muttered the guy beside me.
I snorted.
Peterson's cheeks pinked, as he gaped at her. Lee stared straight at him, unflinching, and I was so fucking hot for her in that moment. Wow.
Clearing his throat, he loosened his tie and looked towards the class.
“Okay, whichever one of you is responsible for this girl, out you go,” he ordered.
No one moved.
You could hear a pin drop in the room as every guy in the class paled.
I stood up slowly and grabbed my bag.
“Dude,” the guy beside me said. His tone was sympathetic.
I smirked.
If Lee was trying to get revenge, by embarrassing me, then she’d failed. I was proud. I’d never deny her.
There were a lot of loud whispers, and even some wolf whistles as I shuffled past the other desks in my row, and made my way down the steps towards her.
Her gray eyes were bulging, as she worried her lip with her teeth.
Why was she nervous? Did she think I was pissed?
I walked straight to her and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to me. Her entire body was tense, and I couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her wet hair. She smelled amazing. Fresh air mixed with peaches and strawberry or some shit.
Glancing at Peterson, I smirked. “Excuse me Professor; my baby momma needs a word with me.”
Peterson’s eyes widened, then he shook his head slowly; clearly disappointed. “We’ll talk later, Kyle.”
“Looking forward to it, Larry,” I replied, holding the door for Lee.
*****
“Kyle, I’m sorry, I…I don’t know what came over me. I was angry about work, and Bruno’s leash…”
Lee looked green as she rambled on, outside of the Business building.
I smiled.
She looked incredibly fragile as she stood in the rain, oblivious to the fact we we’re getting soaked. Beautiful.
“I really am so, so…Wait, why are you smiling?” she asked, brushing her plastered curls back off her face.
My grin widened, and Lee’s frown deepened.
“Is there something funny?” she growled planting her hands on her hips.
It took a lot of my self-control, not to lean down and kiss that pout off her face. But I really didn’t want a repeat of the last time. I didn’t think I could handle another one of her rebukes.
“You’re adorable when you’re feisty, princess. I like it. I like it a lot.”
Her jaw dropped, her lips curving into a perfect circle before snapping shut.
“I’m not trying to be cute. I’m furious with you, you should be afraid.”
I made a half-assed attempt at masking my grin. But it was hard to wipe the dopey grin off me face. I was so fucking happy that she was here.
Angry or not, she was here.
“Oh, you scare me, princess,” I said. “You’re the only one, who has the ability to do that to me.”
I clasped her hand in mine. She pulled her hand away, and I pretended not to notice. Stung like a bitch though.
“And why is that?” she demanded, glaring at me.
“Because you’re the one person in this whole damn world who can hurt me,” I replied honestly.
It was the truth, and it seemed to stump Lee.
We stood a foot apart, in the pouring rain, staring at each other, and I swear, she’d never looked more beautiful. Her eyes were wide and soul bearing. I could read every emotion she was feeling in those gray pools.
“Come on,” I said, clearing my throat. “Let’s get you out of this weather.”
I placed my hand on her lower back and guided her across campus, to the coffee dock.
She didn’t shake my hand off this time.
*****
Lee
I was the world’s biggest jerk.
Whether I was annoyed or not, Kyle didn’t deserve to be humiliated like that, in front of a classroom full of his peers and professor.
I sat numbly in my chair, waiting on Kyle to return from the counter with our order. I couldn’t keep my mind from drifting back to what he had said.
‘You’re the only one in this whole damn world who can hurt me.’
Kyle had a way with words. I couldn’t believe everything he said.
That was the rational side of my brain, thinking. My heart, on the other hand, was banging around frantically in my chest.
“I got you a decaf, because…Well, you know,” Kyle muttered, placing a cup of black, decaffeinated coffee in front of me.
I smiled as graciously as I could, eying his strong kick-ass mug of coffee.
Men had all the luck in the world.
“Thanks,” I muttered, adding a sachet of sugar to my mug and a good dollop of milk.
Kyle slid into the chair opposite me and picked up my spoon, to stir his coffee.