Page 18 of Cross My Heart

“I find luck has very little to do with it,” Saint replies, amusement tugging at the edges of his plush mouth. “Some things in life are just better with skill. Experience. For example, the maturity to know when stamina is necessary, and when a moreimmediategratification is required.”

His voice drops, confidential, and it feels like he’s standing closer to me, even though he hasn’t moved an inch. “When pleasure shouldn’t be delayed,” he continues, eyes still fixed on mine. “When the shock of being overwhelmed is the most exquisite release of all. I dare say, young Freddie has no idea what it takes to satisfy a woman. Not the way she truly needs.”

My body tightens, and I feel a rush of heat. I can’t help it. Still, I fight my reaction.

This is his regular routine, I remind myself. He’s probably used that line a dozen times already—this week.

So, I give a shrug, and act unimpressed. “You Oxford men really love hearing yourself speak, don’t you? What do the Brits say? ‘All talk, and no trouser.’ I’ll take my chances on a man of action, any day.”

I angle my body away from him, and finally manage to flag down the bartender to order in another round. Saint lets out a low chuckle, but just as I’m expecting another sizzling comeback, he walks away instead, leaving me off-balance.

Again.

I shake my head, trying to push the unsettled sensation away, but I can’t help tracking his path through the crowd as he moves to join someone. A beautiful woman, who’s waiting for him in the corner. She’s blonde and polished, and dressed so elegantly that she couldn’t be a student.

I feel a treacherous stab of disappointment.Of course, he has a date. A man like him doesn’t go home alone. Which is why I’m keeping my distance. I have zero interest in being just another conquest to the campus Romeo.

However tempting his talk of pleasure might be…

“Tessa!” Jia’s voice pulls me back. She’s pulling on her jacket and handing me mine. “Change of plans. We’re starving, let’s go get something to eat!”

We head back towards Ashford,stopping at one of the food trucks pitched up along the main street. Jia and Kris swear by a concoction of fries smothered with curry sauce, which turns out to be delicious. “An Oxford institution,” Kris declares, a little unsteady on his feet. He gestures wildly with a fry, sending sauce splattering to the ground. “No finer food on earth!”

Jia and I exchange a look. “Lucky there’s no lectures in the morning,” she says, patiently steering him towards our building. “He can sleep it off.”

Lectures. Shit. I stop. “I just remembered, I need to grab my mail,” I say, relieved to spot a light still on over in the Ashford gatehouse. “I might have an extra class tomorrow.”

“On the weekend?”

“I need it,” I say grimly. “Can you get him back OK?”

“I’ll manage. Oi!” Jia yells, as Kris stumbles over to a clueless couple and asks them for a cigarette. “Behave!”

She goes to keep him out of trouble, and I cross the street, ducking into the gatehouse lodge. I head back to my mail cubby, and flip through the flyers to see if there’s anything from my literature tutor.

Instead, there’s a stiff envelope tucked inside, with my name written in inked calligraphy on the front. The paper is heavy stock, thick cream with gold edging, and when I open it, I find a luxurious invitation inside.

You are cordially invited…

The Mulberry Park Hotel. Masks required.

Discretion presumed.

It has tomorrow’s date.

I turn it over in my hands, confused—and intrigued.Masks?Is this some kind of Oxford welcome event? But there’s no return address, or any hint of who the invitation is from.

Then I see a handwritten note, scrawled on the back of the card, and my heart stops in my chest.

Meet me by the fountain at 11:30 p.m.

I know what happened to Wren.

Chapter6

Tessa

Ispend a sleepless night tossing and turning as my mind races over every detail of the cryptic invitation, but by the time dawn breaks over the city, and my feet pound the pavements on another restless morning run, I’m no closer to any answers.

---