Page 30 of Freshmeet
“A latte would be great.” Digging in my purse, I found a few bucks. “Here you go.”
He stepped away, shaking his head. “My treat.”
Shrugging, I dropped the money back in my bag. I no longer refused free coffees. I couldn’t afford to. “Fine, but don’t think you won’t be paying me in cash for the tutoring too.”
“Obviously.”
We spent an hour reworking the problems, properly showing his work in the way Dr. Slash wanted.
“So, why don’t you give this set a go by Tuesday? That’ll give us a few days to go over it and study for the next quiz?”
“I can do that.”
“Great.” I closed Jamie’s textbook and slid it toward him. “Well, I’m going to head out. You have my number. Use it if you’re having trouble.”
Jamie opened his mouth, then closed it, his cheeks turning pink.
Squinting, I pointed at his face. “What just happened there?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing.”
“No, now you have to tell me.”
“I was going to hit on you, but then I remembered the whole ‘don’t shit where you eat’ thing and stopped myself.”
“I appreciate you refraining from shitting near me. I didn’t specify that as one of my conditions for tutoring, but I’ll be sure to add it for future pupils.”
Shaking his head, Jamie smiled, his eyes crinkling. “I like you.”
“I like you too. Now I’m going to leave, and you’re going to get to work. At least that’s the lie I’m telling myself.”
“I will absolutely be working on this problem set and not going to a party.”
“Good boy.” I patted his arm and turned to leave.
“It’s already dark. Can I walk you to the party?”
I glanced over my shoulder and said, “Nah. I’m not going far. I’ll be all right.”
Jamie’s face twisted in concern, his mouth opening and closing until he shook his head and said, “Okay. But text me when you get there?”
“Aye, aye, Captain!” I gave him a half ass salute and left the SUB.
Oh, I should have let Jamie walk me to the Gamma party. Instead, I took my phone out and was so busy texting Olivia that at the corner of Franklin and Normal, I ran straight into the broad, muscled back of Connor.
He, of course, turned around, frowning.
Holding my hands up, I said, “I’m so sorry.” I took two big steps backward, making some space between us. “I—” My heel went off the curb, catching on a crack in the concrete. For a split second, I thought I was about to fall into the street and be run over.
With reflexes I would never possess, Connor caught my elbow, yanking me from certain injury and into his warm chest. “Watch where you’re going,” he spat out, wrapping his burly arms tightly around me.
His heart raced under my ear as he curved around my body, shielding me from the street. I could only imagine how we looked—me done up like some dystopian whore, and him in his simple t-shirt and perfectly fitting jeans.
The traffic light changed, but Connor didn’t let go.
“Uh,” I murmured into the cotton of his t-shirt. He smelled fresh out of the shower, and I wondered where he was going.
Cars drove past, their headlights illuminating our embrace, every new high beam counting off the seconds until Connor came to his senses.
