Tyler again will be a bad thing. After the way Harper made him seem two nights ago, I know he’s going to work hard in capturing me, just like Nolan.
Sighing, I stand behind the classroom door, checking my phone for the time. I’m five minutes late. Great. Now he’s making me not want to attend my favorite class of this semester.
After Nolan’s voicemail the other night, I know we can work it out and I don’t want to move on from someone that I care for deeply . . . from someone I’m in love with. The only thing I hate is that he’s getting drunk over there.
Finally grabbing the door handle, I step inside and shut it behind me. Professor Doran looks up at me as I walk down the aisle and I allow my eyes to apologize for me as much as I can but he looks away too quickly to catch the gesture. Glancing to my left, that’s when I spot Tyler in the corner . . . at my regular table . . . watching me.
Damn it! What the hell is this guy’s problem? Instead of going for my usual spot, I take a seat at the empty table in the middle of the room. I drop my notebook, pull out a pen, and then write down the objective of today which is Shakespeare. It’s odd how Professor Doran can go from a grunge poet to a tragically romantic play writer.
As I write each thing down, I feel a pair of heavy eyes boring holes through the left side of my head. I force myself not to look, but the inner girl inside of me never listens and I peek over my shoulder.
Tyler is looking directly at me, his eyes soft and his lips hinting at a smirk. Today he has on a black T-shirt, dark-blue jeans, and I have to admit he looks completely sexy. His blonde eyelashes bat at me and the pool of hazel in his eyes causes me to stare a little longer than expected. As he winks, I finally tear my gaze away.
The class carries on with the heavy feeling of Tyler staring at me and me trying to ignore him. I don’t think I’ve ever been more relieved than now when Professor Doran gives us the cue that class is over. Tucking my notebook beneath my arm, I spin around and head for the door but before I can make it out, Tyler is right behind me.
“If I weren’t crazy I’d think you were avoiding me,” he says over my shoulder.
“No—I’m just . . . I have a busy day today. Sorry,” I mumble, pushing the door open and not daring to hold it for him. Damn it, Natalie. What a terrible excuse.
I continue towards the exit glass doors and in only an instant, Tyler jogs around me to stop me. Taking a dare to look up, I watch as a smile forms on his lips. “I’m seriously intrigued by you,” he says, his bedroom voice purring through me. “I’ve never enjoyed a chase before.”
“What makes you want to chase?”
“You’re different. Pretty. You seem like a sweet girl. What would it take to get to know you a little bit more?”
“I don’t think right now is a good time to get to know me. I told you, I’m on a pause. I have a gut feeling the play button will be hit soon.”
Raising an eyebrow, he licks his lips and folds his arms. “Like I said before, until it happens you’re technically single. There’ll be no harm down.” He then leans in and I take a whiff of his cologne. It’s rich and spicy. Warm and hot. Delicious and lick-worthy. “Join me at my lake house party tomorrow,” he says against my ear. Heat spirals down and I clutch my notebook to keep myself standing. “I promise I’ll make it worthwhile and if you call, I can give you the directions.” He pulls back and flashes a clean, white smile. “I won’t badger you because . . . well . . . that’s just not me, but I like you. I think you’d be cool to hang out with. I don’t know much about you but we could always change that.”
“Once again,” I say, stepping around him to push out of the other door. “I’ll think about it.” He chuckles but I don’t hear it for very long because the door shuts behind me and I’m walking away so fast