Page 2 of Test Me
I craned my neck to see the tall blond he was pointing at and shook my head. “Nah, I doubt he even remembers me, anyway. We were on a group project together last year, that’s all. I ended up having to do his part myself when he bailed last minute. It sucked.”
Jesse hummed sympathetically.
“The blond dude is Trace,” Nate said, steering us away from my sudden fit of discontent. “He’s dating a cheerleader, though.”
“Figures. Blonds are such a rare catch.” Jesse huffed, then straightened in his seat abruptly. “Sweet Apollo descending Mt. Olympus, he’s coming this way!”
I thought he meant Trace, but I glanced up to see Josh weaving through tables and chairs, heading in our direction. I subconsciously straightened in my seat, too, then realized what Iwas doing and forced myself to relax back into what I hoped was a casual sprawl as he stopped in front of Nate. Josh Pickett was easily over six feet, and leanly built, wearing a waffle-weave navy Henley that clung to his defined biceps and broad shoulders. Not that I was paying close attention or anything.
“Did you hear they’re replacing all the treads at the gym?” He was all casual cool-guy as he spoke, the outside of his thigh leaning against the table, his other hand draped around a tray weighed down with a giant baked potato. How the hell he could make carrying a baked potato look sexy was beyond me.
“Yeah?” Nate frowned. “What’s wrong with what they have now?”
Josh shrugged, his gaze moving to me, then jumping quickly to Jesse before swerving back to Nate.
“Dunno. But they’re doing those super high-end ones with the flatscreens and games. There’s a zombie chase one that’s pretty cool.”
His eyes darted to me again and a shadow passed over his expression. I might’ve mistaken it for sheepishness or remorse, but no way a guy like that had thought twice about me or the fact that he’d slacked on our project. He was part of the U’s Athletic program and therefore his main job was to win, not make academic achievements. I was a nobody anyway.
Still, in spite of the blandness of their exchange, an unwanted thrill shot up my spine as I caught a whiff of Josh’s deodorant or aftershave. It was the same delicious scent I’d noticed last year every time he’d plop down at the table in the library where we’d usually gathered to discuss the project. Something pine-y and clean. I might even say refreshing, except he wasn’t a beverage, even if I was drinking him in against my best intentions. And yeah, he was gorgeous.Also lazy,and I’d lost eight hours of sleep once bailing his ass out. Ugh. I just needed my dick to catch upto my brain, because it’d acted the same way back then, too, and apparently hadn’t learned its lesson.
“I know you.” His voice came out softer, thoughtful as he cocked his head at me, a friendly half grin playing over his face that showcased a small dimple.
I offered him a tight smile. “Western Civ. Last year.”
“That’s right. We were in that group project together.”
“Mm-hmm, we were.”
He shifted, and I couldn’t tell if it was discomfort or the extra-super-duper loaded baked potato he was carrying. “Logan, right?”
“Yep.” I tried to keep the shock that he’d even remembered out of my tone, well aware of Jesse’s eyes boring into the side of my face.
“I’m Josh.”
“Yep, I remember, because I considered leaving your name off the project altogether since I spent an entire night doing your part.” Oops, politeness fail.
He grimaced. “Yeah, sorry about that.”
“No, it’s fine.” I waved a hand, almost knocking over my water bottle and fumbling to keep it upright. “Water under the bridge or whatever.” The bottle gave a loud crack as I squeezed it, reminding me that I needed to stop talking. And moving. Maybe breathing.
“Oh, okay good. Yeah I…I’m…” He thumbed over his shoulder, “Gonna go eat lunch now. Catch you at chapter tonight, Nate.”
Nate offered him an up-nod in return and, with one last glance in my direction, Josh spun around and wandered off in the direction of his buddies.
“What the hell was that?” Jesse squinted in my direction with obvious disapproval.
“Saying hello to someone.” Nate offered obliviously. “I believe they’re referred to as social skills.”
“Nooooo, I’m asking Logan. Hot Lacrosse Guy was trying to be nice. When a guy that hot is trying to be nice, you be nice back—even if they’re a slacker—not squeeze a water bottle like you wish it was his neck. That’s in the gay playbook of life, for fuck’s sake.”
I definitely didn’t wish the water bottle was Josh’s neck. In fact, there was a horrible split second where I’d wondered how the thickness of his cock might measure up. “No, it’s not. I’m not going to be nice to some slacker jock just because he’s hot.”
“I don’t think he’s really much of a slacker,” Nate said thoughtfully. “I mean, he holds down an athletic career, almost never misses a chapter meeting unless there’s a game, and barely ditches class. I mean, that I remember.”
I pointedly ignored his logic.
Jesse shrugged. “I’d have locked that down in five seconds, given the chance.”