Page 33 of Crimson Promises
“Yeah.”
“I bet there aren’t too many librarians that look like you.”
“I’m not?—“
“Alright, folks, that ends your class time to discuss your upcoming assignment.”
Ben pulled away to focus on Dr. Spencer.
The professor continued, “Now, if you can all turn your attention to this well-crafted PowerPoint my teenage daughter put together for us today, appreciate these animations. You won’t get them every week.”
The class erupted in laughter, and the projector flickered. A picture of Zeus zapped onto the screen with lightning bolts on each edge of the photograph, followed next by an image of Jupiter spun like a pinwheel onto the screen.
“Zeus in Greek mythology is known as God of Thunder and rules as King of the Gods on Mount Olympus…”
Ben leaned back, his forearm resting on the back of my chair. He inched forward so his arm was flush against my back.
“Are we still going for coffee afterward?” he whispered.
“Yes,” I mumbled.Real smooth, Aurora.
“Looking forward to it.” He used the tip of a finger and ran it down the ridges of my spine through the fabric of my turtleneck.I should pull away. Shouldn’t want him to touch me, oh but I do.I pulled at the collar, wishing I had worn a sleeveless top instead. “I’ll wait for you outside on the steps after class. Since you are the working woman, it can be your treat.”I needed to dip my body in an ice bath.
I whipped my face in his direction, flabbergasted. But before I could reply, he tapped my nose like I was a child and shifted his attention to the front of the class.
I stared at him for a few moments, the pounding in my ears drowning out Dr. Spencer’s teachings. Ben remained utterly, infuriatingly unfazed, even when his thigh pressed right against mine. Nothing about his expression changed. Aloof.
I’d only met him, but the guys acted in extremes. Either cool as ice or as hot as an inferno.
He was going to be trouble. I could tell.
* * *
After spending the last few hours in a dark theater, the bright light felt blinding. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw white orbs. I blinked, waiting for my vision to adjust, as I searched for Ben in the masses.
As I scanned unfamiliar faces, my thoughts kept comparing my brief reaction to Bennett to the entire evening I spent with Riley. Bennett hadn’t even kissed me, and I felt like my body had been seared from those brief moments offully-clothedcontact with him.
Today was not turning out how I anticipated.
My breath caught when I saw him leaning against one of the building’s pillars with a relaxed expression on his face.
He lifted his chin when he noticed my approach, his hand resting on the strap of his messenger bag.
“Lead the way, lady.”
I pointed over his shoulder. “It’s that way.”
We walked in silence for the first few minutes with my mind whirring, trying to figure out what to say. He wasn’t exactly receptive to conversation if this morning taught me anything.
Ben interrupted my thoughts, “So where are we going?”
“There’s a great place on campus called Perk & Pour. It’s one of my favorite places for caffeinated beverages.”
“Sweet.”
Back to the one word answers I see.
Odd that this was the place I was supposed to meet Riley for our date that never happened, and now I’m bringing Bennett. But this was purely academic. There was nothing remotely date-ish about this.
