Page 39 of Spelling Disaster

“You’re right, I don’t. I know what I see and it’s enough for me. We can help each other.” He flashes me a smile, the wattage dim, as though he’s not sure he’s getting through to me. “If you agree.”

A glance down at my watch has my eyes bulging. “Look, if I don’t make it back to the dorm then there’s going to be hell to pay. It’s almost curfew. And I need to think about this.” I shake my head. I can’t make a decision on the spot. There are a lot of things to consider before blindly entering into any agreement, even if the agreement is with the man of my dreams.

“I get it,” Theo says, and he sounds calm. Easy. No skin off his back when I’m reeling on the inside. I turn to leave as he trots to my side. “I’ll walk you back.”

“You want to walk together?” I blanch. “People will see us.”

“So what? There’s nothing for you to worry about. Even if you’re late back to your dorm. You’re with me.”

He doesn’t sound nearly as haughty as he might have been making the statement. His attention on the path ahead of us, Theo walks with long confident strides and his shoulders squared. There’s no hint of the jerk I saw in the cafeteria on my first day.

No hint of his usual impish grin, either. Any mischief has dimmed along with the smile. Why?

“You understand that no one will ever believe that we’re together,” I blurt out.Cute. “If I agree to do this thing with you, that is. No one will think you’re interested in me. Heck,Idon’t even believe it, and I’m standing next to you. We don’t go together.”

He stares sideways at me. “You let me worry about that. I’m very good at being convincing when I don’t feel a certain way. I’ve had a lot of practice there, too.”

I gnaw on that nugget of truth from him on the entire trek back to my dorm. And despite the late hour and the nearing curfew, there are still people milling around. Eyes fall on me, on Theo, then right back to me with such potency I feel it like a physical touch.

We stop in front of the door to X House and stand facing each other. “Well, thanks for walking me back. I’ll give some thought to your…proposal.” What else is there to say? “I’m not sure I agree with it but…maybe I can help you.”

I’m still not entirely sold despite wanting to leap ahead with eyes closed and not knowing how things are going to go down.

Theo leans forward, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I freeze at the contact. “That’s all I’m asking. I’ll see you tomorrow, Yas. Let me know what you decide.”

I stand there with my lips parted slightly and watch him walk away. I can feel my cheeks heating up.Yas. He called me Yas.

With a squeak of surprise, I turn and hurry toward the door. Then, because I’m curious, I turn back just in time to see him looking at me with a grin.

A besotted grin.

Ohhhhh my gosh!

Making it back to my room just in time for the bells to chime and signal curfew, I lean against the door focusing on my breathing. If that little interaction proves anything to me, it’s that his plan might just work.

Anyone looking at him would see exactly what he wants them to see. That he likes me. That we’re together.

Wow.

Now I just need to give him his answer tomorrow.

There is much more to Theo than meets the eye and, despite wanting to figure him out, first thing’s first: how do we make this work without me falling hard?

ChapterThirteen

Blaire is already up and gone by the time I wake up in the morning. Her bag with all her books isn’t in its usual heap beside the desk. In this room, though, I’m never alone. There are a thousand eyes watching at any given moment. Luckily for me, I’m used to them.

Last night’s dreams had been a slideshow of reality interwoven with fiction, memories of Theo touching me and where else he might touch. He wore a kilt for the last half of my dreams.

A highland Theo is sexier than anything else.

What am I going to do about him?

I know Ican help him with his grades. If Mom taught me anything, it’s the importance of rigidity and schedule when it comes to studying. I know I can help him through the source material in a way he’ll understand. As for his half of the bargain…it still seems a little like pity to me. Him pretending to be my friend, my date.

I know I’m right about one thing: no one is going to believe we’re together.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed, feet on the cold wooden floor.

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