Page 16 of Under Pressure

“If you give things to people, they’ll like you for it.”

Is that what I do? “I-I’ve never thought about it that way.”

“You don’t have to keep bribing me. But I won’t say no to whatever you bring in.”

I raise my brows. “So it’s working, then?”

“Unfortunately.” He grins.

My breath catches as he unleashes the full force of his smile. His brooding faces and little half smirks here and there don’t hold a candle to the real thing.

I clear my throat, grabbing one more cookie before closing up the container. “So are you actually going to say anything nice?” I wave it in front of him enticingly.

He eyes me carefully, that intelligent mind of his working. “You’re good at the biofeedback stuff,” he says finally, and I get the sense that compliments from him come few and far between. “You have the kind of bedside manner that people respond well to. You plan on specializing in therapy?”

I nod.

“You’ll be good at it.” He grabs the cookie out of my hand while I’m not paying attention and stuffs it in his mouth. “And if it doesn’t work out, you can start a second career as a baker.”

My cheeks heat at his praise, even though I asked for it, and I turn toward my backpack to hide my face from his, trying to jam the Tupperware back in. But of course it makes everything fall out instead.

I bend down and scramble to pick up the loose papers and textbooks, heat licking at my cheeks. Tyler surprisingly bends down to help, handing me my textbook for my Psychology of Motivation class.

“You’re taking Motivation?”

“Yeah.” I glance around on the floor and underneath the desks. Did I miss anything?

“With Clark?”

“Huh?” I look up at him, his bright blue eyes trained on me. “No. Professor Hoskins.”

“Clark’s killing me. She just assigned this stupid project. We have to keep track of what we do and our motives behind them. And that’s on top of the quizzes and papers and everything else.”

I gather the last of my things and tuck it all away, zipping up my backpack tightly. “Maybe it’ll give you some much needed insight into your psyche. Oh and now you can add something to your log.Was nice to Mia to get cookies.”

He smiles again, but it doesn’t reach his eyes this time. “Yeah.”

“Do you want to study together?”

His brow furrows. “Right now?”

“Sure. I actually have a test coming up, so this works out perfectly. Do you have plans?”

He reaches up to scratch the back of his neck. “Nothing important. Meet you at the library?”

“Could we go to my apartment instead? I’ve got chicken in the Crockpot I need to take out.”

“You own a Crockpot?” he asks skeptically. “God, you’re such a dork.”

I grab my navy peacoat off the coat rack and slide it on. “All right, no honey garlic chicken for you.”

He pauses in putting on his own coat. “Honey garlic?”

“Mm-hmm,” I drawl, winding my cozy cashmere scarf around my neck.

“I mean, I guess I could stop by. Since you’re so desperate to have me over.”

I roll my eyes. “I’ll text you my address.”

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