Page 47 of Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 1)

Of fucking course she’s going to fucking fight me every step of the way. She has a spine of steel but I’ve never met a challenge I can’t overcome.

“How about we start with me helping you figure out force and motion?” I point at her notes with my pen.

“Fine.”

For the next hour we work through all our physics homework from Friday and today. I explain a few concepts and help her with a couple formulas. Other than that she and I work in peaceful quiet. I steal glances at her, noticing little things like how she twirls a lock of hair around her finger when she reads or bites the tip of her pencil while she’s working through a problem.

“Sunrise or sunset?” I blurt.

“What?” She blinks at me in confusion.

“Do you prefer sunrise or sunset?”

“That’s random as fuck.” She raises her eyebrows. “Sunrise.”

“Why?”

“You have to work for sunrise. Not all are pretty so to catch a good one you have to wake regularly at an early time. Sunsets are easy.” She shrugs. “Also, there’s nothing like a sunrise over Lake Michigan. The light reflected on the water and then the skyline and buildings. Seriously gorgeous.”

“I like that.” We look at each other over the table. “Conservative or liberal?”

She snorts. “Do you really need to ask me that? Liberal, obviously.” She rolls her eyes. “Let me guess. You’re a conservative one percenter.”

“Not even close.” I shake my head.

“Huh,” she grunts with a look of approval in her eyes.

“Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, or Chris Evans?”

“Pine.” She blinks like I’m an idiot for even asking. “Captain Kirk and Steve Trevor? Of course it’s Chris Pine all the way.” She sets her pencil down. “What’s with all the random questions?”

“Just trying to get to know you. Favorite color?”

“Purple. You?”

“Black.”

“Like your soul,” she deadpans.

I throw my head back laughing. “You are so fucking feisty.” I can’t wipe the smile off my face and when I look at her my chest seizes and then fills with warmth. She’s laughing with me, her blue eyes sparkling.

I love this girl.

That thought should freak me out. It should freak me out that we’re not even together and I feel like this. It doesn’t. I’m sure it says something twisted about me that I realize I love someone when they basically call me evil but what the fuck ever. I don’t care.

“Beach or mountains?” She arches one of her delicate brows at me.

“Mountains. Favorite season?”

“Winter. You?”

“Fall.”

“Wow Connor, I didn’t take you for such a basic bitch. Want me to order you a PSL next time I grab coffee?”

“Hell yeah. Hashtag PSL is life.”

“I can’t believe we’re having such a civilized conversation.” She gives me a genuine smile.

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