Searching for Mine(15)
“Yeah. Rather be here, though. Bake some cookies, hang out and watch a movie.”
She laughed then. “If you had my life, that would be your routine every weekend. Somehow, I think yours is more glamorous.”
That assessing gaze swung back to her, taking in her disheveled appearance. She fought a blush, refusing to apologize for being real in her own place. “Have you dated since you split up with Luke’s father?”
He seemed surprised by his direct question. She was even more surprised when she answered. “No. It’s hard. I wanted to make sure Luke was ready, and then I just got too busy. I wouldn’t leave him alone at night anyway.”
“I’d watch him for you.”
She jerked back. Blinked. “You’d watch Luke for me while I went on a date?”
“Sure. We’re neighbors. He seems like an easy kid. I know it must be hard, so I’d do you a favor.”
It all came clear then. Her lips pursed in disapproval. “Oh, I get it. A favor for a favor, huh? I give you an extra credit assignment or a grade boost and you watch my son?”
She expected guilt or denial, but pure disgust flicked out at her in waves. “That’s a crappy thing to say. Why are you so damn prickly all the time? I’m just trying to be nice.”
“But you want me to give you an extra credit assignment?” she pushed.
He threw up his hands. “Hell, yes! I want to pass your class. But I’m not doing nice stuff for you just to get a better grade.” He raked his fingers through his hair and she watched the strands settle right back in perfect disarray. “I may have thought that before, okay? But I swear it has nothing to do with your class. It’s separate. We’re neighbors, I respect you, and the offer stands.”
Warmth flooded through her. He was honest. He seemed nice to her son. And even if he was screwing up with her class, he was open to do the work necessary to pass and graduate.
She had the perfect project for him.
Ella nodded. “Fair enough. I’ll send you the details of the project in your e-mail on Monday.”
“Really?” He stared at her with suspicion. “You’re not setting me up or something, are you?”
She smiled. “No. To keep it fair, I’ll offer it up to anyone else in the class who wants to bring up their grade.”
He studied her face for a while. “It’s going to be bad, isn’t it?”
“Let’s just say you’ll learn a lot.”
“God help me,” he muttered. “But I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
She winced. “If you want to boost your grade, stop using clichés in speech and written language. It’s unnecessary.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She shook her head at his mocking tone, walked to the door, and opened it. He yelled good-bye to Luke and she stepped out with him to study the block. “Looks like everyone is back on. Thanks again for—”
“Connor!”
She turned her head. A gorgeous redhead strolled down the street, her three-inch Michael Kors boots clicking on the pavement. She was wearing one of those trendy hats that made Ella look ridiculous, along with clinging leather pants, a leather jacket, and some sparkly T-shirt. Connor raised his hand in the air.
“Hi, darlin’! Be right there.”
The model nodded agreeably, crossed her ankles with easy grace, and waited like a trained dog.
Connor smiled. “Sorry. That’s my date.”
Ella blinked. Together, they’d look more dazzling than any Ken and Barbie couple on the planet. “You didn’t pick her up?”
“No. She wanted to pick me up.”
Of course she did. Ella looked back and forth between them. Irritation scraped her nerve endings. “And you let her? Don’t you think that’s rude?”
He shrugged. “No, women like to be independent.”
“She’s waiting for you outside, in the cold, like a trained seal? You think that’s independent?”
“Sure. I let her pick the restaurant, too.”
“Is she also going to pay the bill?” Ella asked sarcastically.
Connor looked affronted. “I always pay. Look, women like to call the shots. Give them attention and some compliments and they thrive. It’s simple. Not rocket science.”
“Do you always date beautiful women?” she asked slowly.
“Sure. We both get what we need, and things are kept...simple.”
Coldness washed over her, erasing the slight glow from seconds before. Connor Dunkle was an ass. He treated women like playthings, concentrating on the surface, rarely taking time to dive underneath. The quick pang of hurt surprised her, but she buried it and got real. Yes, he was a sexually attractive man that sent her hormones on a roller coaster ride, but he was immature, and there had never been a question of anything more between them then professor/student or neighbor to neighbor.