Page 7 of Oar Than Friends

I could confidently say he was easily the best-looking, scratch that, most beautiful man, nope, scratch again, the most beautiful human being I’d ever seen.

Captivating, hypnotizing and altogether entirely unsettling.

It was so unsettling that I failed to notice he was looking at me with exactly the same expression.

He cleared his throat and rolled into a sitting position, lengthening out his legs and resting back on his elbows. From the way his eyes travelled up my body, he may as well have taken a blow torch to my skin for how it was burning under his gaze.

‘Tell me a story while my reproductive organs stop throbbing. What are you doing here so far away from home?’

I blinked at him, altogether confused at this sudden change in direction. His voice had gone from an irritated snap to almost a purr, coating my skin like thick molasses.

‘What?’

‘Your accent. American, if I’m not mistaken.’

‘Oh, yes,’ I frowned, ‘I’m from America.’

He sat up enough to wave one arm around, ‘And what, exactly, brought you to this esteemed and hallowed centre of education?’

Esteemed and hallowed centre of education? Jeez.

Did all Brits speak like him? But then I noticed the bottle of gin lying by his side. His eyes followed mine and he picked it up, unscrewing the cap before holding it in the air to me.

‘Come on, Yankee Doodle. Sit down, have a drink.’

I’d never crossed my arms so quickly over my chest. ‘What did you call me?’

‘Yankee Doodle.’ He grinned, either not noticing or not caring that I was still frowning at him. ‘Now sit down, you owe me.’

‘For what?’

‘Rendering me infertile, for one.’

‘Don’t be stupid,’ I scoffed with all the confidence of a first-year student who was yet to start her medical degree.

His response was to simply wave the bottle at me.

‘Fine.’ I snatched it and took a large gulp before I had a chance to think any further about what I was doing.

The gin burned all the way to my belly, and I sat down in front of him with a thud while he continued to stare at me with a curious smirk tipping his lip. I couldn’t be certain it was the gin that had my insides flip-flopping.

‘Come on then,’ he said finally, pushing long fingers through his hair.

‘What?’

‘Why are you here? America has universities, does it not? Good ones if I recall.’ He brought the bottle to his mouth and swigged it, the shadows of his dark stubblehighlighting the sharp line of his jaw as his neck tipped back.

‘Okay. I’ll tell you, if you tell me why you’re lying out here dressed like you’re auditioning for the CIA.’

‘A question for a question.’ He scratched at his beard. ‘Okay, you’re on.’

I took another sip of gin before I could stop myself, ‘I got a scholarship to study medicine, so here I am about to start my first year. Now your turn.’

‘Medicine, eh? Am I going to be able to provide children in my future?’

‘Is that your question?’ I raised my eyebrow, only for him to do the same, ‘I think you’ll be fine.’

He crossed his legs. I wasn’t sure if his wince was for dramatic effect but I chose to ignore it anyway.

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