Page 14 of Salacious Park Avenue Prince

“Yeah, and if King catches me checking him out, he’ll castrate my ass.”

“Well, not yourass.” I glanced sideways at Donovan and laughed. “Just ogle him when he turns around. The guy fills out those tailored pants like…” I kissed my fingers.

“So not worth the risk.” Donovan shook his head. “Catch you after.”

As he disappeared into his lecture hall, I headed to mine. It was about half full, and after choosing a seat near the back, I threw my bag into the chair beside me. This was one of the final requisite classes I needed before narrowing down a major, something my stepdad reminded me of every time I saw him. He thought I needed to have direction in my life; I thought he needed a stylist and a few joints to loosen up.

While the seats around me began to fill, I flipped open my sketchbook and picked up where I’d left off on the flared sleevejacket I was designing. I was trying to decide between pointed shoulder pads or a boxy look, something to accentuate the silhouette. This class was pointless when all I was interested in was making myself, and others, look spectacular.

When Professor Livingston’s monotone voice echoed through the hall with the usual introduction every professor on campus made, I prepared myself for a boring hour. Then one of the doors flew open and Caleb stepped inside.

I did a double take, wondering what the hell he was doing and why he looked so out of breath. He scanned the room, and it took me a few seconds too long to realize he was looking for a seat and there wasn’t an empty spot anywhere.

But then his eyes landed on me, surprise flickering before he glanced down at my bag in the chair beside me.

No. Fuck no.

“Young man?” Professor Livingston’s voice boomed suddenly as his mic was finally turned on. “You need to find a seat. Now.”

Caleb swallowed and looked around the room again, like he was searching for anywhere else he could possibly go. He closed his eyes briefly and took in a deep breath. When he opened them again, he moved quickly?—

—to my row.

“Don’t say a word,” he muttered as he tossed my bag on the ground by my feet and dropped into the seat beside me.

“Rude much?” I slapped my sketchbook shut and leaned down to grab my laptop out from its zipped pouch, flipping it over to check it wasn’t dented anywhere.

Caleb sank into his chair and rested his head on his fist, as if that was enough to block me out. We were so close it wouldn’t take much to brush my leg against his…

Which would be a phenomenally bad idea.

“So, why you running late?” I glanced at his wind-swept hair and smirked. “Couldn’t find your beanie?”

Caleb’s eyes narrowed, but that was the only outward sign that he heard me as he did everything in his power not to look my way.

“I figured you’d have a whole collection by now. Saves trying to have any style.”

“As opposed to your trying too hard.”

“Is that what I’m doing?” I glanced down at today’s outfit and the black nails I’d added last night. “Here I thought I was doing the world a favor. You know, by looking this good.”

“Do you have an off switch?”

“I do. It’s right by the switch to turn me on. You remember where that is, right?”

That got his attention. Caleb whipped his head in my direction, his jaw bunched.“Shut. Up.”

“Or else what?”

“Excuse me?” Professor Livingston said. “Is there a problem back there?”

I arched a taunting brow, and Caleb looked to the front of the room, shaking his head.

“Good,” Livingston said. “In that case you won’t mind waiting until after class to finish your conversation.”

“Or when hell freezes over,” Caleb mumbled as he began to drum his fingers on the table by his laptop. I decided to give him a reprieve as he settled in to listen to Livingston drone on about the semester’s syllabus.

I tuned out entirely. I didn’t care one way or another about what we’d be learning in here, and it wouldn’t have mattered if I did. All I could seem to concentrate on was the tense body beside mine, the way Caleb’s arm and shoulder brushed against me whenever he shifted in his seat. A fact he clearly noticed too,because every time his shoulder came into contact with mine, he cursed.

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