Page 15 of Dryad, Try Again
My heart swells and I beam at him. “You don’t have to.”
“But I can help.” He shoves his hands in his pockets, and he’s adorable on every level. “I want to. I…owe you.”
My smile fades. How could I have forgotten that standing before me is the dryad of my nightmares?
“Think about it,” Kovi says. “I’ll text you.” With that, he walks backward for two steps, then turns for the lecture hall.
I could seriously use the help in understanding biospheres. And what better person to assist me than a tree spirit shifter? The image of his true form still scares me, like I’m a nine-year-old again. But that was a lifetime ago. Seth says he’s a good guy. It doesn’t hurt that Kovi’s grown up to be crazy attractive. But he had to be the one monster I have a phobia of, huh?
I gather my belongings and head down the hall. Images of his handsome face at the bonfire waft through my consciousness, tempting me. The idea of studying in a private session with him has my pulse pounding, but from fear or arousal, I’m not sure.
Do I want to run and hide from Kovi, or jump into the sheets with him?
7
KOVI
Tanner agreed,via text, to meet at the library tonight. That’s a good thing, right? He seemed distressed earlier, and I wanted to ease his troubles. For a moment, I thought he was checking me out, but that must have been my imagination. Sure, we flirted at the party, but now that he knows I’m the dryad who hurt him, he can’t possibly be into me. We’re simply friends starting over with a clean slate.
Did that stop me from changing outfits after class, triple checking my ass in the mirror, and dousing myself in cologne? No?I’m still a horny college student, after all.
The library, like the rest of campus, consists of a gothic exterior, but houses modern fixtures inside. I don’t even know how ghosts and zombies maintain the Wi-Fi, but I’ve never had internet issues. I head straight for the second floor because Mummy Mocha is already closed. Each hall is well-lit with chandeliers equipped with fluorescent lights. Past the aisles of bookshelves and wooden tables are several study rooms. I lay claim to one with a whiteboard and markers, all pristinely clean since barely anyone is studying this first Friday of the semester.
In fact, no one is studying right now. Tanner and I will be alone in the tiny room. I don’t know if I want to cheer or cry.
I text Tanner letting him know my location. After ten minutes of quietly reading about oil spills, I hear footsteps down the corridor.
He walks in, huffing like he ran. “Sorry. Got lost, this place is like a maze.”
I snicker. “No worries. Please, have a seat.”
He settles in and we both take out our respective notebooks. Now that he’s here, my nerves creep up. I’m sure I’m mature enough to not spontaneously shift?at least I think I am. I gulp and tap my pen on the table.
“So…” he says, seeming as nervous as me.
“Um, before we start, I just want to say…”Spit it out, Kovi.“I’m sorry. For hurting you as a kid. I thought I’d clear the air, so it was important for me to address the elephant in the room.”
Tanner studies me and I bite my lip. “I didn’t realize you were an elephant shifter.”
It takes a long five seconds before the joke registers in my brain. Tanner and I crack up, and my shoulders relax. “Okay, okay,” I raise my hands. “That was a good joke.”
“Dude, it’s fine. It was a million years ago.” He looks down at his books. “I’m so desperate for help that I’d take assistance from the devil himself.” Tanner eyes me curiously. “Shit, is the devil a student here?”
“No, he’s a guidance counselor.”
Tanner’s eyes bug out, and I can’t hold back my laugh for more than a second.
“Ha! You got me!” After a few moments, our laughter dies down. “But seriously, we can just move past it.”
I nod. “Glad.”
“I barely remember you as a kid, anyway.” He leafs through the pages of his textbook, and my breath hitches. “Consider itforgotten. We’re classmates, and I need all the friends I can get. So, if you don’t mind hanging out with me, I’d love your help in passing this class.”
The air of finality in his words causes an ache in my bones. I wanted his forgiveness, but hearing him friend-zone me is like disappointment shears pruning my branches.He barely remembers our kiss?
I shake my head. “Let’s get to it, Tanner.” I smile at him before looking down at my work. I’m too busy to date someone, least of all a human I hurt once, so this is a good thing. Now I just need my heart to catch up.
We spendthe next hour quietly reviewing environmental sci concepts from the syllabus. He asks me simple questions about different plant anatomies and various ecosystems, and I’m more than happy to answer. The joy in his green eyes sparks admiration in my soul. Tanner seems to genuinely care about the subject matter. A knowledgeable, hard-working man is a commendable one. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes.
