Page 31 of Hard Lessons
“There you are. I’ve been waiting for you,” he said as he walked along beside me.
I looked up at him, shading my eyes from the sun. “You have?”
He grinned, a quick flash of those dimples had my heart racing. “Yeah, Madison said you usually came here first thing for breakfast. Mind if I eat with you?”
I felt the warmth on my cheeks, but I didn’t know if it was from him or the heat of the day. “Sure, but it’ll have to be quick. I’m running a little late today.”
I’d been avoiding him after Elliot made his rules.
Chase pulled open the door to the building and held it as I stepped inside. We both swiped our cards and got in line. I poured myself a cup of coffee and grabbed some oatmeal, fruit, and toast. He grabbed a breakfast burrito and an energy drink.
“Missed you in class yesterday. Is everything okay?” he asked as we found a seat.
“Yeah, I just had this terrible headache. Probably from the weird weather flipping back and forth.”
He snorted. “Tell me about it. Gotta love Illinois weather, huh?”
I sipped my coffee. “I’m pretty sure it’s the only place in the country where you can experience all four seasons in a single day.”
He chuckled. “I think I heard that too, but I grew up in Michigan, so I can attest you can experience it there too.” He leaned in slightly. “So, what season is your favorite?”
“I’m a fall girl,” I answered.
“Really?” He wrinkled his nose.
“Yeah. I love the cooler weather, the crunchy leaves. The bonfires, sweaters, boots, dreary days, where you can spend all day in your pajamas, wrapped in a blanket, while watching Halloween movies. What’s better than that?”
He gave me a crooked smile. “Yeah, I guess it’s not so bad when you list it off like that.”
“What’s your favorite season?”
“I like the summer.”
I smiled. “You would.”
His mouth fell open in mock surprise as he laughed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know. That’s just a typical guy thing to say. Let me guess. You like summer because you like baseball, the beach, and the lack of clothing that girls wear?”
He chuckled, and his face turned a light shade of pink. I’d called him out. He glanced down at his burrito and back up at me. “Well, maybe you’ll be able to change my mind?”
I forced a nervous smile onto my face, knowing it likely wouldn’t be anytime soon. “Maybe.”
Chase and I finished our breakfast. He walked me to my first class of the day. After taking my seat, I turned back toward the door where I found him still standing in the hallway, watching me for another moment before he turned to leave. A sigh left my lips. In a perfect world, Chase would be the guy I fell for. We’d date through the rest of college, graduate together, and start a life where we’d end up married and having a couple of kids. If only life were that easy. As much as I liked him, I knew I had to keep him from getting too close for his sake and mine.
ELLIOT
When I saw her in the cafeteria with that asshole from class, my stomach tightened and my blood warmed. My hand tightened on my coffee cup, and I was surprised I didn’t break it.
Neither of them had noticed me as they got their food and took their seats. I watched them closely as they sat across from one another, talking, laughing, and flirting. He’d make her blush, and then she’d make him blush. She would bat her lashes and laugh for him. He’d flex his jaw and find any excuse to touch her. And I meant any excuse. He’daccidentallyset his hand too close to hers, touching her even if only for a brief moment. He’d wipe crumbs from her lips, he’d tuck a strand of hair from her long braid behind her ear. Every little touch drove me wild with jealousy.
She was mine. She knew it. Hell, she agreed to it. Why she thought it was OK to entertain another man was beyond me. Why she thought it would be okay to let another man touch her was baffling. She’d be getting punished for it later.
My first hour class went smoothly. I was able to push her to the back of my mind and get things done, but when she walked in, I could no longer forget that she existed. She had on a tinyjean skirt that was driving me wild. It seemed to entertain most of the male population. Every guy she walked past gave her a double-take. She paid me no attention at all. She walked past like I wasn’t even standing there. She took her usual seat, her white panties peeking out from beneath the short skirt. I knew she wasn’t doing it intentionally. It was the angle of the stadium-style seating that was working against her. Nobody else would probably ever notice, not unless they were standing where I was. From my place at my podium, I could see straight up her skirt, all the way to her panties.
My eyes narrowed as they moved from between her legs to her face. My eyes found hers. Her cheeks turned pink, and she quickly looked down at her phone. Chase joined her a moment later, making her shoot me a quick, nervous look. I narrowed my eyes at her as she focused back on him and nodded. He slid onto the seat next to her.
She wanted to make me jealous. Well, it was fucking working.
