Page 57 of Fight for You (Flirting with Forever 2)

“When Mr. Steele called Sawyer into his office again on Tuesday morning, I thought we were really in trouble.” Hadleigh raises her hands palms facing outward. “I guess after what Sawyer said to him, you-know-who wouldn’t discuss his broken nose, especially after he was informed that the surveillance footage outside the gym very clearly showed him punching Sawyer twice first. He refused to say anything else.”

“But did Mi—Mr. Steele say anything about you being together?” Zoey eyes Hadleigh curiously.

“He tiptoed around the subject. I’m pretty sure he knows. He urged us to have caution in how we relate to each other at school because it’s obvious that we’re ‘good friends.’”

Sophia snickers. “Friends. Right ...”

Hadleigh gives a wicked grin. “And then he requested to have Brian Schmidt sit in on a few of Sawyer’s classes and check over my reports that I turn in to his advisor. He said he’d make a note that it was because Sawyer is the first student teacher I’ve had, but I’m pretty sure it’s to cover all of our asses, just in case you-know-who decides to cause trouble.”

I cross my arms in front of me. That guy is an asshole. He’s lucky a broken nose is all Sawyer gave him. “Well, I’m just glad that he’s finally gotten a clue and has stopped texting you photos.”

“He kind of had to.” Quinn laughs and sneaks a glance at Sophia. “Should we tell them?”

I squeak out, “Tell us what?” Madison, Zoey, and Hadleigh’s eyes go as wide as my own.

Sophia looks around before lowering her voice. “We had Heath go in and ask him some bizarre wrestling match scoring question. While you-know-who was busy explaining it all, Quinn and I snuck into his office and found his phone just sitting out in plain sight on his desk. We were ready to steal it if we had to, but the idiot doesn’t have a lock code set on it. So, we literally just went into his camera roll and deleted all the photos of Hadleigh, then deleted the text message thread where he’d sent them to her.” She can’t stop the wicked laughter that erupts as all of our mouths drop open.

Quinn shakes her head with a sly smile. “I doubt he had them anywhere else. And if he’s not smart enough to put a lock code on his phone, he definitely won’t be able to figure out a way to get the photos back. That should be that.” She snickers behind her hand.

Hadleigh’s expression is priceless. “Oh my God, you are the best. Really.”

The relief in the group is palpable, and the girls keep talking, but I’m distracted. I hadn’t wanted to mention it to anyone just yet, but I signed up for a new dating app last week called Tryst. I’m a smidge embarrassed that it’s come to this, but I can’t seem to find the right guy. I wonder if maybe I’m missing out on someone in the next town over who might be so close, but so far that we haven’t met. I’d even thought maybe there is someone right here in Newberry I’m overlooking.

So, I’d set up my profile with a username that has nothing to do with my real name—Sherlock4Love—because, duh, I love Sherlock. I hadn’t even put up a photo of myself because I don’t want someone clicking on me for my face … or not. My plan has been to connect with someone based on mutual interests and then see where it goes from there.

Well, lo and behold, this past week, I found someone. I’m scared shitless wondering who he is, but he’s sweet and funny and a tiny bit naughty, and he makes me feel special. Best of all, he is a huge Sherlock fan, too. In fact, that’s why I reached out to him in the first place. His username is Prof.M., just like Professor Moriarity. I just hope he will be a friend and not a foe …

The game is afoot.

SNEAK PEEK

* * *

BURN FOR YOU

CHAPTER 1: Piper

* * *

I’m distracted. Again. Very hot, and very bothered. I’m unable to concentrate fully on the conversation flowing around me, and it’s all because of a man I’ve never m

et. Not in person, anyway. We’ve been talking on this silly dating app I signed up for a few weeks ago.

The app is called Tryst, which sounds a little flirty—and a whole lot dirty—to me, but I’m desperate. In fact, I’ve been single for so long, I’m beginning to think there just isn’t a guy out there for me. I haven’t met anyone in the last five years who I’d actually like to date. Day in and day out, I work with my students, go home, grade papers, go to bed. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. That’s why I decided to give the app a try.

The other reason why I’d said goodbye to my dignity and gone for it was this: in the last couple of months, I’d watched two of my friends fall hard for the sweetest guys, and it really got me thinking. Maybe he’s out there. Maybe I’m overlooking him. Or maybe he’s just one town over—waiting for me, just like I’m waiting for him.

I’d created a profile on Tryst to test the waters and see who I could find. I want to make a real connection, so I’d hesitated to attach a photo to my profile because I don’t want to rely on photos alone. Let’s face it, people use old photos from ten years or ten pounds ago, they apply filters, or they use someone else’s photo entirely. Anything to make themselves look good.

The kind of person who would stoop to doing that is not for me anyway, so I’d just put a cute little avatar of myself on there and crossed my fingers that my sparkling personality would attract someone—the right someone. There’s got to be a guy out there who wants to get to know me based on the information I’d left in my profile, right?

A hint into who I am and what I’m looking for is in my username—Sherlock4Love. I’m just a girl, who obsesses over all things Sherlock with a passion, looking for love.

At first, I’d received a lot of questions from curious individuals, especially about the username—was I male or female? They couldn’t tell, even though it was right there in my profile. Seriously, people. Just read. Take thirty seconds to actually look at my profile before you ask me something that’s right in front of your nose.

I’ll admit, that didn’t give me much hope. I’m not terribly patient with people who don’t use the brains they were given. In fact, I’m downright picky when it comes to men because of it, and I know it. I like them smart, kind, and thoughtful—and it wouldn’t hurt if they’re attractive, too. I can’t let just any yahoo near my hoo-ha, now can I?

As my friends continue to talk about anything and everything under the sun, my phone vibrates with incoming messages from the Tryst app. With a quick glance down, I see Prof.M. has responded to my question and is ready to discuss.

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