Page 5 of Off-Limits Bad Boy Protector

Maybe it was the charm he had, or the unreasonable fluttering I felt in my chest. Whatever it was, I found myself nodding slowly, agreeing to be his tutor in exchange for a chance to be closer to him. Because really, I didn't think I'd ever be able to resist spending more time with this guy.

"Okay," I whispered. It was loud enough to reach his ear. This is clear from the way his red lips curled up in victory and my traitorous heartbeat sped up at the mere sound.

Chapter 5

Tutoring the smartest guy in school turned out to be more enjoyable than I had expected. I struggled to not get distracted by studying his face instead of the textbook he gave me. Despite this, I found myself thoroughly enjoying our interactions. Teaching someone as brilliant as him seemed easier than I had imagined.

I struggled to control my curiosity about his life and personality. His mysterious aura intrigued me deeply.

It was almost as though he was a magnet pulling me to him. This happened every time he avoided conversations that required him to talk about his family. But I did still enjoy the time spent with him despite knowing absolutely nothing about him.

His demeanor was different during our lessons. He usually looked calm and collected and seemed unfazed by everything. But, I noticed how his features would soften during our sessions. His eyes flashed a hint of emotion I had never seen in him before.

Sometimes he would even break into a mischievous grin just by looking at me. I could swear I could see something playful and flirtatious beneath his usual cool exterior. Of course, I chalked it up to a coincidence.

“Aren't you curious?”

His question pierced my daydream's fog. It jolted me to the present like a sudden alarm in a quiet room. It was as if my mind had been a restless traveler. It wandered through a maze of thoughts, until his words grasped my attention and steered me back. His voice was like a splash of cold water. It shocked me out of my daydream and forced me to face our situation.

I blinked a few times to clear my head and looked back at him. "Sorry?" I said, feeling a bit spaced out and annoyed at how my voice sounded.

We were done with our lesson. Neither of us had anything else to do for the day. We both decided that eating some burgers while watching the sunset was a perfect way to end the evening.

We were seated on a wooden bench outside the cafeteria. A light breeze blew over us as we munched on snacks quietly. We were staring at the beautiful orange clouds above us. We waited for darkness to cover the campus and for stars to appear in the night sky.

“Aren't you curious?” He clarified softly after a brief moment of silent eating, causing me to stare at him with a wandering gaze. “I'm sure you're dying to know about me.” He said matter-of-factly.

I took a short while to answer him, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion and curiosity. “How did you figure out?” I asked, looking at him curiously.

His expression gave a quick chuckle. But, it sounded more like an amused scoff. He shook his head, with his lips twisting into an amused grin. “Let's make a deal.” He suggested after a few moments. His hands were folded neatly against the back of his head. He had a lazy smile on his full lips.

“Deal?” I required warily as I cocked my head to the side, my brows squeezing slightly. “What kind of deal?”

He shrugged lazily, his eyes drifting up towards the sky, but the smile remained on his lips. "I'll answer three of your questions, then one of mine, deal?" His tone turned serious, with a hint of amusement playing at the corner of his lips.

I stared silently for a moment. My face scrunched up in utter confusion. Then, I finally said: "Alright." After a few more seconds, my brows relaxed, and I let out a slight sigh as I agreed. I couldn't imagine passing up another opportunity like this. I said, "Sounds good to me."

He gave me a satisfied smirk before lowering his hands from his head. "Good, let's begin," he announced, straightening up slightly. Then, he looked directly at me, his head tilted curiously. "What are you really curious about?"

His blue eyes held me firmly under his spell as he studied me with his own piercing gaze. “Who do you care a lot about?” I challenged him softly. That was my first question. I was surprised because I had never heard him talk about anyone fondly.

He hesitated briefly. I saw his guarded expression slip for a moment. Then, it was replaced with a playful look. "Of course," he answered shortly. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at how he seemed to be doing everything but confessing.

"I thought we were being serious," I said. I pointed out with fake exasperation. I tried not to laugh at the silliness of his statement. “You need to work on your poker face. I don't buy it.”

“Then how about this? Myself?” He suggested cheekily.

“I suppose.” I chuckled, shaking my head briefly.

“And now what's your second question?” He inquired. His eyes scanned mine intensely. But, he maintained a relaxed and nonchalant manner.

“I guess...why you chose me to be your tutor?” I mused carefully. I wouldn't deny the fact that I was slightly honored to be his choice for tutoring.

He raised his perfectly shaped eyebrows. Then, he leaned forward again and folded his hands across his broad chest. "You're definitely unique," he remarked with a teasing smirk. "For starters, it's hard not to notice your unusual fashion sense, your quirky taste in friends, and all that."

I rolled my eyes playfully. I put my hands on top of my lap and folded them tightly. I nodded politely, pretending to be interested. But, I cursed at him inwardly for throwing such smooth insults into the conversation.

"And your name. After every exam, I see a strong competitor," he said, leaning back with crossed arms and a cocky grin. "It's only fair that I gain the knowledge I needed from you." I couldn't help but snort at his words and his smug behavior. “You're insufferable,” I retorted bluntly while trying to contain my giggles.

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