Page 4

CARSON

I race across the grass, growling at the guy who just clipped Nylah with his bag. The dumb douche! Is he fucking blind?

“Hey!” I yell at him again, shoving his shoulder when I get close enough. “I said watch it!”

He finally spins, glancing up from his phone and pulling his headphones down to rest around his neck. Music blasts out from the speakers as I glare at him and point to Nylah, who’s attempting to get up off the ground.

He winces. “Shit, did I?”

“Yeah, dumbass, you did!”

I hook my hand around Nylah’s arm and help her up. “You okay?” I check her over, hating that wince of pain I saw crossing her face just before she fell.

“Yeah, I’m, um?—”

“I’m really sorry.” The giant wanders over, holding up his phone and wincing again. “I was kind of lost in?—”

“No one gives a shit about your excuses,” I bark. “Just watch where the fuck you’re going next time.”

“Okay, man. Chill.” The guy raises his hands and backs away, looking down at Nylah again. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you.”

She brushes her hand through the air. “It’s my fault. Never text and walk, right?”

He smiles down at her, and I glare at him until he shakes his head and mutters, “Whatever,” before walking away.

Running my hand down her back, I move in front of her and check again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you.” She goes to pick up her phone, but I quickly stop her.

“Let me.” Collecting it off the concrete, I clean it off and make sure it’s not cracked, then glance up in time to see her brushing her hands across that perfect butt of hers. A spike of desire travels right through me, and I quickly realize I’ve made a fatal error.

I should have let someone else help her.

I should have turned and walked away.

But how could I?

She fell over. She got hurt. She?—

Taking the phone from my hand, she murmurs her thanks, and I get a whiff of something delicious in her hair.

Shit.

Walk away, now!

But instead, I’m holding out my hand and saying, “No way. Give that back.”

“What?” She glances up at me, her perfectly shaped eyebrows wrinkling.

“You obviously can’t be trusted to get to class safely. I’m assuming that’s where you’re going. So, I’ll hold it for you while I walk you there.”

“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes and laughs, shaking her head. “I don’t need you to hold my phone and escort me to class. I’m sure you have better places to be.” Lightly slapping my arm, she grins up at me. “Thanks for the assist, though.”

And then she fucking turns away and starts hobbling down the path.

Is she fucking kidding?

I scowl and chase after her. It takes me all of three strides to catch up, and then I have to slow my pace to match hers. “You’re limping,” I grumble. “Was the fall worse than it looked?”

“No.” She shakes her head, sounding totally unfazed by her obvious discomfort. “It’s just an old injury that flares up sometimes.”

“What happened?”

“Busted my leg.”

“Obviously.” I nudge her with my elbow. “How?”

Her eyes dart toward me, her lips pursing, but then she shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Come on. I’m curious.”

You shouldn’t be. If Coach sees you right now, your ass is dead.

She smirks, and I think she’s about to dish the goss when she fucking changes the subject. “Are you seriously going to walk me to class, Mr. Grumpy Face?”

My eyebrows pucker. “Please tell me that’s not another attempt at insulting me.” I shake my head, giving her a pitying frown. “It’s really lame.”

She laughs, and the sound catches me off guard. I didn’t realize laughter could be so pretty. But hers is. It’s got this lyrical quality to it, rising up and then dropping down again, her smile broad and beautiful.

Fuck. I don’t want to find her beautiful.

I’m used to admiring women, checking out their bodies, appreciating all the curves. Is it just because I can’t have this one that she’s somehow more enticing?

That’s got to be it.

Glancing down at her awkward gait, I shake my head. That’s all it is. She’s just got a nice ass. That’s it.

And the only reason she screwed up my car sex the other night is because I really wanted her but had to settle for whatever-her-name-is. I just need to find me some different candy and I’ll be fine.

Her big brown eyes catch me staring at her as the wind picks up her hair, making the long black locks shimmer. She flicks them over her shoulder, and I’m about to ask which building she’s heading for when her foot catches on the ground and she jerks forward with an “Oomph.”

Snatching her arm, I haul her back to her feet before she lands on her ass twice in one morning.

“You’re like a walking mishap.”

She snickers, obviously embarrassed, and murmurs a soft “Lame.”

“I wasn’t trying to insult you. I was just stating a fact.”

“Because you couldn’t think of anything decent.” She crosses her arms and scoffs at me.

I narrow my eyes. “Okay, fine. What building are we walking to, Keyser Soze?”

Her mouth pops open. Oh shit, she knows the reference. I figured she wouldn’t even know who I was talking about. But nope, she totally does, and she’s about to slap me across the face or yell at me for being a dick.

Why do I always have to take things too far?

Because you’re a moron.

But it’s actually a good thing. I’m not supposed to be talking to this chick anyway, so making her hate me is doing me a huge favor. I may as well drive her off. I’m fucking great at that. It’s like my superpower.

Biting her lips together, Nylah shakes her head, fighting a grin before looking up at me with the sweetest smile.

“Lame. Particularly because Keyser Soze doesn’t actually have a limp, his alter ego Roger Kint does.

So really, you should have called me Roger or Kint or Verbal!

” Her hands flick up in the air, and now I’m wondering how the fuck she knows about one of my favorite movies.

Yeah, sure, it’s old school. Came out in 1995, before I was even born, but The Usual Suspects is a classic.

Is she into old movies like I am?

Walk the fuck away! Turn now! Divert!

But I keep strolling along beside her, wondering why she’s not yelling at me and telling me to fuck off.

Hitching her bag higher, she glances my way and points to the left. “Humanities. I’ve got an anthropology class.”

I nod and still don’t divert even though my next class is in the opposite direction.

We walk in silence for a second, me watching her feet to make sure she doesn’t trip again.

“Did you see that one coming?” she suddenly asks.

“Huh?”

“In the movie. Did you pick up that Verbal was Keyser Soze? Because it totally took me by surprise. Like, I was seriously jaw-hit-the-floor amazed, and then I was laughing and telling the TV how brilliant that was.” She waves her hand through the air.

“Not that I spend a vast amount of time talking to electronic devices; I just felt like that movie in particular deserved some major praise, and the only one around to listen was the TV.”

My lips fight a grin.

“I think The Sixth Sense would have had the same effect on me as well, but too many spoilers had hit the internet before I got to it. Thankfully, I had no idea what was coming in The Shawshank Redemption , and that has got to be the most satisfying ending to a movie ever in the entire history of cinema.”

I gaze down at her, enamored by her eager grin.

“Have you seen Shawshank ?”

I swallow, barely able to find my voice. “You like old movies?”

She nods. “Yeah. They’re the best.”

My chest feels weird.

I’ve never met anyone else who likes old movies the way I do.

“I’m assuming because you’re trying to insult me with a Usual Suspects character that you are also into old movies.

So, at least I know you have good taste.

Well, in movies that is. I have no idea if you’re gross and like pineapple on your pizza or if you listen to country music or drench yourself in Old Spice.

” She leans toward me and takes a whiff. “Doesn’t smell like it.”

I snicker. “You don’t like Old Spice?”

“Not particularly.” Her nose wrinkles, and it’s getting really, really hard not to smile at this chick.

“You know, I never actually said I like old movies.”

She pauses, turning to face me. I keep my expression as deadpan as I can. It’s taking maximum effort, but like hell I’m breaking.

Her brown gaze studies my face, her lips rising into another knockout smile before she pats my arm and murmurs, “Yeah, you did.”

Damn. She’s got x-ray vision too. I don’t like feeling this exposed, so I pivot and keep walking. I go slow so she can easily catch up, and eventually we dribble to a stop outside the Humanities building.

“Well, thanks for walking me to class, Captain Craptastic.”

“Lame,” I mutter.

“I know.” She cringes. “I use that one on my brothers!” She flicks her arms wide, then grins at me, the tip of her tongue poking out the side of her mouth. “But don’t you worry. I’m gonna keep working on it.”

And there’s that wink of hers again before she turns to check out the building behind her.

Shit. Get out now!

Before I can ignore one more warning, I spin and walk away. She’s at her building now. She’s safe. I don’t have to walk her into the fucking classroom!

I can’t risk spending any more time with this chick.

It’s too dangerous, and I value my life enough to stay away from her.

Picking up my pace, I start running and hope she thinks I’m just late for class. I may not want to spend any time with her, but I don’t exactly want to offend her either.

You are such a fucking liar.

You so want to spend time with her.

Only you would want the one chick you’re not supposed to have.