How about … you’ve known me my whole life so why do you never call me Charley?
“Well?”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. “Honestly, I found the whole thing a little angst-ridden for my liking.”
My classmates tittered and Mrs. Tate frowned. “You found Jane Austen angst-ridden?”
Apparently Tate thought I was wrong. Oh, well. “There are a lot of misunderstandings that could’ve been cleared up if they’d just talked to one another. The whole thing with Edward and Elinor was exhausting. If he’d just admitted he loved her and broke off his stupid secret engagement to whatshername, Elinor wouldn’t have had to go through all the emotional crap she went through. I mean, she’s very gracious and all, but she spent a good part of that novel pining for a man and she didn’t even know if he felt the same way about her. Edward was a nice guy, but he needed a swift kick to the behind.”
Mrs. Tate crossed her arms, unimpressed. “Charlotte, we’re talking about an entirely different time period, culture, and class system. I think the situation is a lot more complicated than that.”
Okay, so maybe I was projecting.
The bell rang before I could respond and chairs immediately scraped back as the students hurried to get the hell out.
I was stuffing my books in my bag when a shadow fell over my desk. Glancing up sharply, my eyes met Jake’s determined gaze. “What is it?” I frowned, recognizing mischief there. “What are you doing?”
“Clearing up an obvious misunderstanding.”
“What are—”
I didn’t even get the rest of the question out before Jake pulled me up out of my seat, wrapped a tight hand around my nape, and crushed my mouth beneath his.
Shock soon gave way to sheer delight as his talented mouth moved over mine. I sighed and his tongue slipped past my lips and tangled gently with mine. My fingers curled around his T-shirt as the taste and smell of him overwhelmed me. My skin was hot from the deep, wet kiss, and my body screamed “wow!”
Who knew a kiss could be like that?
The whooping and whistling finally wrenched me out of my fog and I remembered with burning cheeks that there were still kids in the classroom. I pushed gently against Jake and he released me, our faces close as we fought to catch our breath. He squeezed my neck again and grinned at me. “Epic.”
I laughed, embarrassed but thrilled. He didn’t need to know that though. “Cheesy.”
“Epic.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Mrs. Tate came into my eyeline and I flushed harder. “Jake, let Charley go.”
I blinked at her use of my nickname but as Jake moved away, I saw that he had caused a miracle. Mrs. Tate was fighting a smile. She thought he was charming.
With no more show, the students slowly filtered out of the class. Jake pulled on his backpack and held out a hand to me, a cocky smile wide across his face. “Coming?”
I took his hand.
“Jacob, if you kiss another student in my class again, I will give you detention,” Mrs. Tate warned softly, her lips curled up at the corner.
Jake pulled me closer as we walked by her. “Won’t happen again, Mrs. T.”
Mrs. T? It was decided. Jacob Caplin could probably get away with murder.
Out in the hall, I could see news had traveled fast about Jake’s little classroom exhibition. All eyes were on us as he walked me to my locker. Before I could open it, Jake maneuvered me so I had my back to it and he leaned into me, his arms above my head, caging me in.
“So our first kiss was very, very public,” I murmured, unable to tear my eyes from his warm ones.
Jake smiled. “I told you I’d do it when you least expected it.”
“I am going to take your promises a lot more seriously from now on.”
“Good.” He touched his mouth to mine, a shivery brush that had the same effect as his deep one had. My breathing shallowed and I felt a whole lot of lusty thoughts that I wished I wasn’t feeling in public. I was so glad I wasn’t a dude.
“Hey, Jake!”