Page 20 of Nodus Tollens
Why did he care, anyway? And why did I need to explain myself to a stranger? Oh wait, That’s right, I didn’t.
“You just did?” He repeated slowly as a brow tilted.
Ugh, seriously? Why was I still entertaining this guy?
“Yes, I just did. So, if you’ll excuse me…” I grunted and tried stomping past him. Just when I thought I was in the clear, a hand came out of nowhere and wrapped itself firmly around my wrist, halting my movements.
“Look, I don’t mean to piss you off, but you’re lucky I was the one you ran into and not some drunk asshole coming back from the rally tonight.” He sighed. Though I knew he was probably right, I didn’t want to admit that to him. He already came off as smug, and the last thing I wanted to do was stroke his ego like I’m sure most women did.
“Oh, like you didn’t enjoy the eyeful you got.” I scoffed, then immediately regretted what I said as it flew out of my mouth. I didn’t know if he enjoyed what he saw, but the words couldn’t be stopped. I waited for a laugh, maybe even an inkling of his dislike for what was exposed to him, but instead, I was hit with a fierce stare that penetrated through my side profile. I knew I couldn’t look at him. I knew I’d instantly liquefy if I met those eyes. So, instead, I kept my focus forward and aloof.
“Never said I didn’t, blue.”
Blue?
“But whether I did or not is irrelevant to what some other bastard would do if he got a peek at what’s under that towel.” While my mind was still reeling over the strange nickname, I almost didn’t notice that he had leaned further into me.
“Blue?” I questioned as I pried my wrist free from his hold and put a few feet of space between us.
“That’s all you got from what I said.” He shook his head with an exasperated chuckle. “Your towel, your loofah, your toes. Everything is blue.”
Frowning, I try to discern the random flutter that the bland nickname gave me. For some unknown reason, as much as I wanted to hate it, I couldn’t. In fact, I liked it a lot more than I should. No one had ever given me a nickname before, and it did something to my heart that I honestly couldn’t explain.
“I have a name, you know.”
I grunted while trying to come off as unfriendly as possible. I thought I was doing a damn good job, too, but unfortunately, my bitchiness seemed to be an attractant for this man. His smile only grew bigger, and his eyes beamed even more with each passing second we stood in this hallway. In all honesty, I was confused and still somewhat rattled by the fact he was still here. He was friendly enough, I guess. A bit of an ego on him, but all in all, he seemed like a decent guy.
“You gonna tell me, blue?” His eyes blossomed into fascination as he now seemed locked in on my trembling lips. I could not and would not let him kiss me. No way. I mean, that’s why he was staring at them like a starved animal, right? Because he wanted a taste of them? Even as I reciprocated and observed his soft mouth, I knew there was no chance in hell that I would let that happen.
“No.”
Clearly taken aback by my answer, he grinned playfully. “No?”
“Yes, no. You’ve seen my boobs. I think you’ve gotten enough from me today.” I grunted and searched around him for an escape.
“Today?” He said in a hopeful tone as if I was okay with seeing him again.
“Forever.” I growled a little too aggressively and leaned back. “Look, let’s just pretend we never ran into each other. I can forget about the fact you’re basically holding me hostage in this hallway, and you can forget you ever saw me naked. Good?”
No, definitely not good because, if anything, his stare darkened at the mention of my body. I wasn’t a model. I didn’t have the ideal physique, big breasts, or a curvy waist, but there was something in his gaze that made me feel beautiful.
“Kinda hard to forget something like that, blue. But I can try, for your sake.”
Okay, well, I wasn’t expecting it to be that easy to convince him. Maybe he was just trying to appease me, but the sincerity in his tone and facial expression made me think otherwise.
“Good.” I nodded in a soft mumble while getting lost in that adorable boyish smile. I couldn’t help but feel like I was being pulled into the depths of his ocean-blue eyes, and without realizing it, I found myself sinking. Pretty boys like him weren’t a rare commodity at Sutton University, but you’d be a fool to think that’s all he had going for him. Even I knew better than that. A man with that kind of smile and courtesy had to have been raised by a great father. One who knew the importance of how to treat a woman and someone who had morals. He was still a man, though, and by his earlier heated stare, he wasn’t immune to women. Especially the nude kind.
My throat began to tighten with an unfamiliar sensation, as though I was beginning to see this man in a different light. As much as tried to riot with my own feelings, it was obvious I was just as affected as he was. Unfortunately, maybe even more so.
“You really not gonna give me your name?” He asked more profoundly this time while using his eyes as a tool to hypnotize me.
My thoughts ran back to vending machine guy. How I hadn’t given him my name, and now suddenly there was another god-like male who wanted to know it. He wanted more than my name, but what that was remained a mystery to me. My body? My heart? Both were something I desperately avoided giving up, but with him standing this close, looking at me like that, I had a feeling it would be easy to give him everything.
Said any girl who ever encountered him.
While I contemplated giving up my name or not, I recognized the gleam of hidden sorrow in his eyes that I had grown accustomed to over the years. To most, it would be unrecognizable. Frankly, he hid it better than I did, and a part of me wanted to know who or what put the despair in them. I wanted to know more about Hayes Decker, but the lingering feelings from my vending machine guy were stopping me. In the back of my head, he still remained very much prominent, although now, not so much. But even then, I knew I couldn’t get involved. My excuses were endless, but deep down, very deep down, I knew getting close to someone like him would destroy me.
And not in a good way, either.
