Page 26 of Shattered Stars

“You’re kidding me? Do you eat that stuff?” Stone nods. “It’ll rot your teeth.”

“I’ve been eating it for about thirty years, Miss Blackwaters, and my teeth are just fine.”

“Damn, I thought I knew you, Stone.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know.”

I hop up onto the kitchen counter, swinging my legs as he shakes fluorescent-looking corn puffs into a bowl and drops it to the floor.

Pip eyes it suspiciously, giving a cautious sniff before licking one with his tongue.

“Like what?” I ask him. “What don’t I know?”

His heated gaze flicks down my body, making me squirm on the counter.

“Oh no, don’t distract me,” I say, wagging my finger at him. “I didn’t come here for that.” The other reason I brought Pip along.

“Are you sure about that?” he says, stalking towards me and coming to stop in between my thighs.

“Well, no, but I need to talk to you first, before you distract me, okay?”

“You spoke to Azlan yesterday?” he asks, his tone turning serious.

“Yes, and he’s fine. Happy, weirdly happy.”

“Weirdly happy, weirdly sad, the dude’s just plain weird.”

“He’s meant to be your best friend.”

“Which is why I get to call him weird.”

“I don’t think he’s weird,” I say with a little huff.

The professor grins at me. “You’re cute.”

I straighten up on the counter. “I am not cute.”

“You are incredibly cute, especially when you’re pouting at me.” He nuzzles at my neck.

“I’m not pouting,” I totally pout.

“Sure you’re not, sweetheart.”

I push at his shoulder. “You’re doing it again,” I say as he ignores my attempt to push at him and nuzzles further down my neck.

“Doing what?” he mumbles at the neck of my top.

“The distracting thing. I’m serious about talking.”

He pauses mid-kiss and drags his head up, taking a decided step away from me and holding up his hands. He dips his head to meet my eyeline and gives me his sincerest look. “I apologize. You have my full and undivided attention.”

“Good,” I say, “but you don’t need to stand quite so far away.” I grab a fistful of his shirt and tug him closer.

“Better?” he says, standing right in front of me.

“Hmm,” I say, considering him, then taking both his hands in mine and resting them on the tops of my thighs. “Better.”

“You know this is a huge distraction for me too.”