Page 42 of For Emery

“I’m not high maintenance,” I teased.

This time he bumped me with his shoulder. “You have many boyfriends?”

I shook my head.

“Just one or two?” he persisted.

I shook my head, hoping he dropped it.

“More?”

I closed my eyes, and my embarrassment slowed the shaking of my head.

“This mime-game you’ve got goin’ ain’t working for me, Em. You’ve actually gotta speak.”

I opened my eyes, steeled my features, and admitted my truth. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”

Jordan’s head shot back. “But you’re so hot.”

My breath caught in my throat.

Noticing my surprise, he quickly amended his words. “I mean, you must’ve had guys lined up for you.”

For as long as I lived, I’d never forget him calling me hot.

“No one special,” I admitted. I’d dated. Gone to parties and dances. But none of those guys lived up to my feelings for Jordan.

He nodded like he understood. But did he really understand why I hadn’t had a boyfriend? Why no one would ever be enough?

“I guess we’ve got to lower our standards,” I joked. “At this rate, no one’s ever gonna be right.” My gaze dropped to his lips. Not for a single second had I forgotten how they tasted and felt against mine.

“What about Flip?” he asked.

“What about him?”

“He’s not right?”

My eyes lifted to his. I hadn’t forgotten how pretty they were when they were looking at me. “You know he’s not.”

“How would I know that?”

“Because...I—”

The door handle rattled and the door swung open. Raquel walked in. “Sorry to interrupt.”

I sat back, distancing myself from Jordan’s penetrating gaze. “You’re not interrupting,” I said to Raquel, though my heartbeat pulsed like a ticking time bomb.

I could’ve sworn Jordan huffed beside me.

Raquel hurried to her desk and grabbed her laptop. “Just remembered I needed this.” She hurried back to the door and was gone before we could respond.

I pushed myself to my feet and walked to my own desk, needing the distance to bring me back down to the here and now. I grabbed my laptop.

“You were about to say something when your friend came in,” Jordan reminded me.

I played dumb as I turned around with my laptop in my hands. “I was?”

“I thought so.”

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