Page 44 of The Freshman

He looked at her pleading blue eyes,brighter than Nate’s and not as suffocating. If anything, they werefreeing, and he gave in. “This guy’s doing my head in atwork.”

Tia narrowed her eyes. “What’s hedoing? He giving you a hard time?”

“Kind of, but not. I don’tknow. I’m not sure how to handle the situation. He’s—he’s a flirtwith a touch of psychotic.” He mumbled the last word, and Tiadidn’t seem to hear it.

She studied him for a few seconds thenclapped her hands. “Work place romance. Thank the lord. I thoughtyou’d never get a boyfriend, that you’d live and diealone.”

Alfie flashed looks at the tablesnearby then leaned forward. “What the hell, you wanna just shout itfrom the rooftop.”

“Can if youwant.”

She went to stand, but he grabbed herhand. “Okay, just, quieter.”

Tia sunk back down and nodded. “So,what’s his name?”

Alfie’s mouth popped open. “I—I don’tthink—”

“You don’t know? Jesus,Alfie, have you got it that bad you haven’t even asked for hisname?”

Alfie snorted and stabbed the coffeewith his straw. “It’s just a mess.”

“Is he hot?”

Alfie felt his cheeks start to redden.He thought about Nate away from the prison. If they had just met ina club. “Yes. Yes, he’s hot.”

“Does your stomach go alltingly when he talks to you?”

Alfie shivered and nodded. His clubversion of Nate smiled in his head, the predatory smile that saidhe was ready to pounce, and Alfie wanted him to, would bare histhroat in the hope Nate would kiss it.

“When you see him doesyour heart speed up, feel like it’s trying to escape yourchest?”

Just talking about Nate made it drumfaster, and Alfie shut his eyes and released a torturous groan.“Just talking about it has made it worse. It’s made itreal.”

He opened his eyes and watched Tiasuck on her straw with a gleeful expression. She flexed hereyebrow, and Alfie began to wish he hadn’t saidanything.

“So, what was it? Youbonded over banging up prisoners?”

Alfie scrunched his face. He couldn’ttell her it wasn’t a colleague, but a prisoner. That would piqueher curiosity and lead to more difficult questions.

“We don’t work in the samearea. We just talk … sometimes.”

“So that’s why you’reconfused, you’re not sure if he’s interested that way,” Tia said,staring off into space.

“He’s interested that way,tells me so, but—”

“But what? Go for it,maybe ask for his name first though.”

Alfie shook his head. “He’s justmessing with me. I don’t know why I’m letting him, but I am.Besides, it can’t ever happen. I’d quit if anything wentfurther.”

Tia pressed her lips together in atight smile. “You’re always so serious. There’s a ban on staffdating staff here too, or there was, but my boss might have liftedit. I know you like doing everything the honest way, but don’t yathink it might be fun, exciting, doing what you’re not supposed to,breaking the rules?”

“I think—it would get mein a lot of trouble, if not lead to my death.”

Tia waved her hand. “Only if you getcaught. Stop being so sensible, live a little.”

Alfie narrowed his eyes. “I am living,I’ve got a good job, a house, a future. This could screw that up.That’s if I don’t die.”

Tia laughed. “Stop being dramatic.Added risk, added excitement.”

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