Page 64 of Love, Academically
“It’s all right for you, Miss-I-Wear-Stupid-Shoes-All-The-Time,” she grumbled.
Rhys’s muscles tightened with the effort of not pushing past Jasmeet to scoop Lila up from the stairs and depositing her safely on the floor. If she fell and hurt herself, then it would be his worst nightmare, spending all night in the hospital (again) in a goddamned uncomfortable bow tie. Because of course he wouldn’t leave her by herself.
Lila huffed out a breath as she reached the bottom of the stairs and unhooked her dress from her arm.
“There aren’t any stairs at this place, are there?” she asked, looking up at him with those big, trusting eyes.
How would he know? If there were, he would carry her. He shook his head slightly.
“You look…” he started, but his voice didn’t work very well.
“Hang on,” she said, dropping her gaze to his bow tie. She reached up to tug lightly on it, even though it was perfectly straight because he’d seen to it in the mirror.
Pressing her lips together, she glanced up at him.
“There,” she said. “Much better.”
His body reacted to her being so close and there was a distinct tightening in his crotch area. Fucking hell, she’d tugged on his bow tie. What would happen if she tugged anywhere else?
Rhys swallowed and took a step back. A semi wouldn’t be a good look.
“So?” Jasmeet said, jerking her head towards Lila.
“Yes. You look…” He cleared his throat. “You look…”
Why were words so fucking difficult? With Jasmeet glaring at him, and Lila looking likethatin front of him, a blush stainingher cheeks, her eyes bright, he could not think of one single word to say.
“It’s okay, Rhys,” she said, with a smile. “Come on, let’s go.”
Lila headed towards the door.
“Lock up, would you, Jas?”
“Yeah, of course,” she said. “Text me if you need me.”
He frowned. Why would Lila need her? Perhaps it was because he couldn’t string a sentence together, because his mouth was too dry and his brain was mush, all from seeing Lila Cartwright done up. For him.
But it wasn’t ‘for him’. It was her end of the bargain. If he wanted to see her done upfor him, then he had to tell her that was what he wanted.
After tonight. After their bargain. When they could start afresh. It was unfair to put that pressure on her now, tonight.
Rhys opened the car door for Lila and ushered her in, closing the door softly behind her. She wasn’t wearing a coat, and it wasn’t warm. Perhaps he should have bought her a coat as well? Jasmeet watched with a warning glare on her face as he settled behind the driving wheel, and pressed the ‘Start’ button.
“Hey,” Lila said, her fingertips grazing his hand as it rested on the gearstick. “It’ll be all right tonight, Rhys. I promise.”
Rhys wasn’t so sure. Whether or not he had Lila beside him, looking earth-shatteringly beautiful and being a well of bounteous support, it was going to be a difficult night. A night that, apart from Lila, he had tried not to let invade his thoughts. Because that dark hole of doom was never fun to head down.
Lila
It was only a dinner and they were just people.
That’s what Lila was telling herself as Rhys pressed his hand to the bottom of her back, guiding her through throngs of peoplewho parted like Rhys was the second coming. He was tense, his shoulders bunched and jaw locked tightly.
“Rhys, you need to stop scowling at everyone,” she whispered with a smile.
She couldn’t be nervous. That was pretty much the whole point of her being here tonight; to support, to be calm, to prove to Rhys’s family that he was a successful human being. Although, how a person like Rhys could be unsuccessful, she didn’t know.
“I don’t know if I can,” he said under his breath.
