The Arrangement Anthology 1(15)

The window slides down. “Goodie-two-shoes is gonna be your new nickname.”

“Funny. And I thought you’d go with something more classic.” I smirk at her and she shakes her head. Her hoop earrings sway back and forth as her mouth drops open.

“I’m saving those for later.” Mel shoots a knowing look at me. It makes my stomach dip, like I have no idea what I’m in for. “When are they doing your kit?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“I’m so coming!”

I fold my arms over my chest and tilt my head to the side. “Fine, as long as you don’t make it weirder, because it’s already weird.”

“Yeah, I—” Mel’s eyes fixate on something behind me. She stops talking and has a strange look on her face.

A familiar voice fills my ears and my body reacts. “Avery?” I turn slowly and see Sean walking up behind me.

Mel’s eyebrows lifts so high they’re about to slip off her face. “Is that—?”

I give her a look that says SHUT UP. “No.”

Sean stops next to Mel’s window and stands in front of me. “Long time no see, hot lips.”

My face flames red. Mel’s mouth opens, making an audible holy crap sound. I turn to her and tap my hand on the door. “Better get going. I’ll catch up with you later.” Code: Go away right now and if you say anything, I swear to God, I’ll break your face.

Of course, Mel says something. “So, hot lips? Meaning you’ve already sampled the goods?”

“Something like that,” Sean says smiling. I take his hand and pull him away from her car.

“Get your ass home, Mel. I’ll see you later.” I keep my hand in Sean’s and pull him back toward my car, as Mel pulls out of the parking lot. I know she didn’t want to leave, but I’m relieved she did.

Nervously, I jabber, trying to fill the holes in my head. I feel like I’m hemorrhaging words. They keep coming until Sean stops me. When I reach for my car door, he stops me, and turns me toward him. Reaching for my face, he tilts my chin up and looks into my eyes. I freeze. My heart pounds harder and harder. I think it might explode. A shiver slips down my spine.

Sean says, “There are very few things that captivate me as much as you do.” His eyes drift toward my lips before lifting to meet my gaze. Butterflies fill my stomach. An insane compulsion to giggle washes over me, but I manage to subdue it to a smile.

“Insane compliments will get you insane answers.” I feel the grin stretching across my face. “Let’s keep our feet firmly planted in reality.”

“All right. How about this? I have never, ever met someone that draws me in the way you do. It’s everything—the way your hair sways when you walk, the curve of your hips at your thigh, the sound of your voice, the way your eyes dart away when I compliment you—like no one has ever told you how beautiful you are—everything about you is enticing. Like a moth to a flame.”

“Ah, it’s cliché time.”

Sean touches my cheek with his hand, slowly slipping his warm fingers across my skin. My stomach twists into knots. I want to lean into him, but I don’t. My eyes close as he does it. I can’t hide how much I like his touch. His voice pulls my gaze back to his lips. “There are only so many ways to tell a woman she’s beautiful. I’m bound to run into a few clichés from time to time.”

I smile shyly, like I don’t believe he finds me that attractive and turn my face away. It breaks the contact with his hand. I wish I hadn’t done it, but I can’t feel like this about him. He’s going to be something else, someone else. This can’t happen. I open the car door and slip into the seat. I dig the key out of my purse and stick it into the ignition and twist. I feel like I’m forgetting something. Sean makes my brains melt and I can’t think. The car doesn’t start. It doesn’t even try to turn over. Ugh, slacker car from hell.

“You forgot the magic spray,” he says softly through the cracked window. Sean holds up a can of ether and walks to the front of the car. He lifts the hood and sprays. I hear his voice a second later. “Now try.”

I gas it and turn the key. The engine sputters to life. Sean walks back around to my window. I roll it down half way, where it gets stuck. Sean slips me the can. “I thought you might need that.”

Smiling at him coyly, I ask, “Are you stalking me, Mr. Jones?”

Sean shakes his head and leans against the roof of the car. When he does it, he moves in closer to me and I catch his scent. It fills my head and I inhale deeper. “Quite the contrary, Miss Smith. I go out of my way to avoid you, however, you keep appearing right in front of my favorite diner at various hours doing all sorts of strange things. It’s difficult to ignore you.”