Sophie Jordan - Tease

Nodding, I faced forward again.

He drove us into town with no further conversation. I tucked my hands beneath my thighs and only spoke when we got close to campus, directing him to my dorm.

There wasn’t too much student traffic this early on a Saturday and for that I was glad. Stepping out of his truck in front of my building, no one I knew was around. No one to witness me wearing my clothes from the night before and assume I was getting dropped off after a hookup.

One hand on the door handle, I looked back at him. “Thanks. For everything.”

It was a weird moment. As anxious as I was to make my exit, I knew I’d never see him again. We didn’t move in the same circles. I certainly wasn’t going back to Maisie’s. Realizing that kept me rooted to the spot, staring at him longer than I should. Kind of like I was memorizing him. A guy unlike any other guy I allowed myself to be with.

“Sure.” His eyes looked dark as they held mine. “Stay out of trouble.”

I felt my mouth twist into a smile at the irony of some guy I met in a biker bar telling me to stay out of trouble. “I’ll try. You, too. Don’t get in any more bar fights.”

His eyes glinted. “Yeah? Well, you don’t start any more.”

I laughed once. “Yeah. No worries. That so won’t happen again.”

“Bye, Emerson.”

I closed the door on him and walked to the front door of my dorm. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and ignored that small thread of sensation running through me that told me he was watching.

THE SUITE WAS EMPTY. Not a surprise, but I checked both rooms anyway just to be sure. Pepper had a fabulous new boyfriend. Ever since they’d gotten together she spent most nights at his place. And Georgia had Harris. Not a fabulous boyfriend, in my opinion, but a boyfriend nonetheless.

For once I was glad they weren’t around and I didn’t have to explain where I’d spent the night. I loved them, but they tended to worry about me. They would love nothing more than me putting my wild streak to rest and getting a boyfriend.

Stripping off my clothes, I slid on my robe and grabbed my shower caddy and headed across the hall to the shower, trying not to shudder at the idea of a boyfriend. Boyfriends kind of wanted you to let them in. Among other things. And that so wasn’t happening.

I spent at least half an hour under the hot spray of water before washing my hair and body. I kept thinking about last night. And this morning. Waking in Shaw’s bed. Despite his bad-boy edge, he hadn’t made a move on me. Sure, the invitation had been there when I’d practically straddled him and licked him like candy the night before, but he hadn’t jumped my bones. He hadn’t pushed for more or tried to manipulate the drunk girl. And this morning . . . this morning he just wanted to get rid of me.

Turning off the water, I shook my head and reminded myself not to be offended. It wasn’t like I wanted him.

After drying off, I reached for my robe and slipped it on. The shower rings screeched as I pulled back the curtain. Suzanne stood in front of the mirror brushing her teeth.

“Hey, you!” she mumbled around a mouthful of toothpaste.

“Hey. How was your date?”

Rolling her eyes, she bent her head and spit in the sink. “Fine until his ex-girlfriend walked into the place with her new boyfriend and then he couldn’t stop staring at them all through dinner. Turns out he took me to her favorite restaurant. Nice, right?”

I winced as I inched toward the door. “What a dick.”

She nodded. “ I would have had more fun going out with you.”

“I’ll remind you of that the next time you ditch me for a date,” I called, halfway through the door.

“Hey!” she called out defensively. “I’d understand if you canceled your plans for a date.”

I snorted. “And why would I ever do that?”

“Oh, someday you will. I just know it! When you meet Mr. Right.” Her words rang out as I headed into the hall.

Suzanne read too many romance novels. She was starting to believe in them. Shaking my head, I entered my room and made quick work of getting dressed. I dried my hair so icicles wouldn’t form when I stepped outside, already knowing exactly where I was headed this morning.

Hair dried and minimally styled, I applied light makeup and pulled on my heavy coat. Tossing a thick scarf around my neck, I slipped on my Uggs.

It was still early enough that not too many people were up and about. I made a beeline across campus for the Java Hut, hoping the caffeine would help my aching head. My stomach grumbled the instant I entered the popular campus coffee shop. It was practically impossible to get a seat during the week. At the moment the line was relatively short, only two people in front of me. Sorority girls from the looks of them and the Greek letters emblazoned on their butts.

One of the baristas spotted me. “Hey, Emerson!”

He was familiar. I think I fooled around with him at a party last semester.

“Hey!” My gaze flicked to his name badge. “Jeff.”

He grabbed a cup from the stack. Pen in hand, he scribbled my name on the cup. “What do you have?”

“Cappuccino.”

The girls in front of me shot me a not-so-nice look, clearly not appreciating my drink order coming before theirs.

The cashier shot them an apologetic look and started to punch the keys until Jeff stalled her with a hand on her arm. “I got this,” he murmured while sending me a wink.

The cashier shook her head and turned to the two sorority girls. “What can I get for you?”

With a last withering glare for me, they stepped up and ordered.

I smiled weakly at Jeff. “You didn’t have to do that.” Really, I wished that he hadn’t.

“I wanted to.” He shrugged. “Small perk of the job. Buying a drink for a cute girl.”

“Thanks,” I said, because at this point it would cause more of a scene to resist.

“So how’ve you been? You have a good holiday?” he asked as he began frothing milk for my drink.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Awesome. Went skiing. My uncle just bought a place in Vermont. Only a few hours from here. Lets me use it anytime. You ski? You should come with me one weekend before the snow melts. There’s a hot tub.” He lifted his eyebrows suggestively and I knew just what he was imagining we could do in that hot tub.

“Um. Maybe.”

“Cool. You still got my number?”

Had I ever had it? I nodded.

“Well, don’t be afraid to use it.” He sealed the lid on my cup, and leaned across the counter toward me, bracing his hands on the marble. “You didn’t call me back when I called you last time.”

I accepted the cup, fidgeting with the edge of the cardboard sleeve uncomfortably, unsure how to respond. Most guys were happy with a fling. Sometimes they called, but they never cornered me about it like this when I didn’t call them back.

He winked and held up both hands. “Hey, it’s cool. I’ll call you later.”

I smiled and nodded like that would be good. “Thanks for the drink.”

Turning, I walked across the wood floor, sipping from my steaming cup. I’d meant to order a muffin, too, but no way was I turning around for another dose of awkward.

Stepping outside, I tugged my soft scarf high against my chin and turned in the direction of the art building.

“Em!”

Looking up, I watched as Georgia trotted across the street, tugging Harris after her.

“Hey,” I greeted her.

“Hi,” she replied in her sultry Alabama accent, cheeks flushed from the cold. “What’s up? Where you headed?”

“I’m going to work in the studio.”

She nodded. “What’d you end up doing last night?”

I hesitated. Now would be the moment to tell her that Annie ditched me, but then that would lead to the topic of how I got home . . . and where I spent the night.