Thin Love(12)

“I’ll be there.” She couldn’t see her own expression in the window, but she knew something in it told Kona that she didn’t believe him. When she frowned at him, he rolled his eyes. “Jesus, I’ll be there. Don’t worry.”

Keira was done listening to him. Kona Hale was an obnoxious jackass and she had no idea why he was standing next to her a little too close, smelling too good. Head against the cool glass, Keira closed her eyes. If she concentrated, wished hard enough, maybe she’d open her eyes and he’d be gone. Maybe she would. “Positive projection,” Leann had told her, would manifest whatever she wanted. Right then, with Kona Hale’s thick, distracting scent fanning down against her, Keira decided to let the day go. There were no bitchy professors being unreasonable. There were no drenching rainstorms for idiots who forgot their umbrellas. There was no slacker football player waiting for her to blush, to stick her foot in her mouth so he could leap in with an insult or a dismissive excuse why he couldn’t help with their project.

One calm breath and her gaze went to him. Disappointed that Leanna’s new age juju hadn’t worked, Keira moved through the lobby door. Outside, she leaned against the brick surface of the building just under the wide alcove, debating how quickly she’d have to run to get across the street. Kona slid next to her, his elbow bumping against her arm. She couldn’t help the frown. One seemed to always be on her face.

“What do you want?”

“God, you’re the most uptight person I’ve ever met.”

“We haven’t met, not really.” Then, she decided to be smug, see how his ego would deflate if she embarrassed him. “Oh wait. We have. I seem to recall you in the locker room getting serviced.”

For a moment, Kona looked at her as though she was speaking Klingon, but that confused low squint stilled, and then laughter bubbled from his chest. “Oh shit.” He grabbed his stomach, bending over. “Oh, man. That was you?” His humor was annoying and he still had zero shame. “Damn. I’m sorry,” he said, smile widening as she shook her head at him.

She crossed her arms, stepping further away from his stupid smile. When he pulled on her arm, tugging the sleeve of her gray jacket, Keira jolted, slipped once on the wet steps and fell right back into Kona. He held her for a moment, hands circling her waist. She could feel how wide they were, how his long, large fingers held tight, dug next to her hipbones. Standing that close to him, she could smell the heavy scent of cologne on his shirt and felt the curved contours of his chest against her neck. She looked up, her chin moving so that her mouth was inches from his. She blinked quickly, wondering why his grip on her waist had tightened, why she felt transfixed as he pulled in his bottom lip under his teeth. When a small chuckle vibrated in his throat, Keira jerked out of his arms, wiggling forward until he released her.

His stare was cool, unaffected, but in her peripheral she noticed him balling one hand into a fist, as though he was trying to get rid of the memory of how she’d felt against him. “Hey. Listen, I’m sorry my mom was a bitch to you. I’m sorry you walked in on Lydia Kemp blowing me.” Keira scrunched her nose and Kona laughed again before he held up his hands. “I’m sorry I missed our meeting.” He took a step, forcing Keira to look away from him, returning her gaze back onto the soaking sidewalk. “Lunch? My treat.”

“No, I’m good.” The answer was automatic.

He made a noise, somewhere between a half-attempted laugh and a cough before he spoke. “Wait. What?”

“I said I’m good.” Keira had to refrain from laughing at Kona when she caught his expression. His mouth hung open, brows together so that the space between his eyebrows wrinkled. “What’s the matter? Not used to hearing no?”

“Not from girls, no, I’m not.”

“First time for everything.” She shrugged, pulling up the hood on her jacket. “I told you, I’m in a bad mood and, to be honest, I don’t like you.”

He laughed again, the sound peppered with disbelief, maybe a hint of real amusement. “Shit. You’re blunt as hell.” Another shrug and Kona’s laughter increased. “It’s just lunch. I’m not asking to see you naked.” Keira felt her cheeks heat like a fever had suddenly flashed through her blood and she cursed her pale skin that never hid a blush. One quick glance at his smile, and then Kona’s laugh only became fuller, deeper. “Damn,” he said, stepping next to her. He stood so close to her that Keira felt his breath warming her chilled skin. “You’re cute when you get all flustered like that.”