Page 10 of Bookworm

"Sounds like you heard a lot," he said.

"Not really"—I held up a hand—"though I confess, I knew nothing about the bet. Me, being a senior, I felt a little left out.But gossip makes me uncomfortable, so I avoid it at all costs." Itried but was unable to stop my last words."Ooh, and obviously, she was wrong about no one wanting you. Everyone has a soulmate. Even you, Stryker."

"Even me," he repeated.

I gave him a reassuring nod.

"Are you training to be a detective?" he asked.

The question caught me by surprise.

"No," I said slowly.

"Good," he said, "because you'd suck at it."

I laughed lightly. "Yeah right,I'd be awesome. I've read all the Nancy Drew novels, seen every episode ofMurder She Wrote, and can figure out the ending of any movie mystery or NCIS episode within the first five minutes.I'm basically Sherlock Holmes in female form."

I tilted my head.

"Lottie Holmes has a nice ring to it."

Bo's frown deepened. "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"MaybeI would be if you hadn't revealed yourself by dropping a book and then running away."

"I didn't run," I huffed.

"You stomped around like a hippopotamus in the dark."

"Again, I didn't run—and if I had, it would've been softly, like a dainty owl."

"You ran." Bo straightened from his position and crossed his arms. "But I guess Ican understand why."

I sighed in relief, thinking I'd gotten through to him. "You do?"

"Yeah.I've had girls stalk me before, Kent. But this is taking it to a whole other level."

My jaw dropped as I sputtered.

Without another word,Bo started walking down the hall, tossing his bookbag over his shoulder. His long legs ate up the distance—at six-foot-something, the guy had at least a good foot on me—but I tried to keep up with him.

"I wasn't stalking you," I hissed.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Let's look at the facts, Kent," he said, still walking at that quick pace, his stupid long legs forcing me tojog to keep up. "You followed to see if I was making out with someone" he said.

"Yeah, but—"

"You clearly saw there were no shenanigans between Addison and me."

"Can you slow down?"

"And yet you stood there, being nosy, listening to our entire conversation—"

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