“Are you okay?” Ricardo whispers in my ear, his breath tickling my sensitive skin.
Wrestling myself back under control, I open my eyes and find that Ricardo’s got his arms circled around me, his brown hands next to my fair ones on the support pole. The only one encroaching on my personal space bubble is him. My entire body relaxes as I realize I’m cocooned within his arms. Not expecting this reaction at all, I assess my physical response to his nearness. After a second, I realize there’s no discomfort weaving through my muscles. Ricardo’s presence at my back doesn’t feel like an invasion. It must be because his closeness is much preferable to anyone else’s, especially stinky concrete guy. Swallowing, I whisper, “I might be a little bit claustrophobic.”
Ricardo scans the car before meeting my eyes over my shoulder. Concern is evident in his face. “It’s pretty tight in here, but we’ve only got two more stops to go.” His pinky strokes my finger in a gentle gesture that sends warmth through me.
I nod quickly.
For a fake boyfriend, Ricardo is remarkably sweet when no one’s watching us.
The train car comes to a stop at the next station, stealing my balance and throwing me into Ricardo. The press of his front against my back sends an electric jolt along my skin. My breath hitches as the scent of his cologne occupies my attention. Cardamom and vetiver.
“You smell good.” My eyes widen as I clamp my mouth shut. Great. Hanging out with Adrienne has infected me with an embarrassing case of word vomit.
Ricardo’s arms tighten around me. “It’s all part of my evil plan to make you fall in love with me.” The note of teasing in his voice cuts through the cloying scents of the train car and gives me something else toward which I can channel my focus.
“Good luck with that. It’s never going to work.”
A shiver runs through me as he leans even closer, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. “Don’t be so sure, mon coeur.”
My face goes hot.
Our stop can’t come soon enough. And not just because being this close to so many people is squeezing the air out of my lungs.
The train comes to a smoother stop at our station, and I don’t hesitate. I scramble out of the train, elbowing people left and right in an attempt to put some distance between Ricardo and me. I’m pumping the breaks on our whole fake relationship thing, starting right now. We’re not on academy grounds, so there is no earthly reason we have to have any physical contact whatsoever. No point in flirting, either.
The underground station is overly warm and suffocating. I can’t stay here.
I bolt up the stairs and stand on the sidewalk, taking in great gulps of the crisp winter air.
Ricardo comes bursting out of the station, swiveling as he looks for me. Relief cuts across his features when he spots me and heads my way. “Are you okay? You ran out of there so fast.”
I shrug his hands off my shoulders. “I’m fine. Let’s go. Kenneth’s place is only a block away.” I speed walk, ready to get to our destination and focus on something other than Ricardo. Or that packed subway station. I am not taking a train back to campus. If Ricardo doesn’t want to rideshare with me, he can walk.
When we arrive at the apartment building, I’m surprised to discover it’s not as upscale as I expected. Kenneth’s family is well off, but you’d never know it from looking at this block of apartments. They’re non-descript gray with dingy white trim. The cars in the lot are not all that nice, either, ranging from neon colored sedans to older model trucks.
Kenneth’s dark sedan would easily be the nicest in the lot, but it’s not here. I frown, hoping we haven’t come all this way for nothing.
When we knock on his apartment door, a guy I’ve never seen before answers. This guy, who is apparently Kenneth’s roommate, tells us he isn’t home. “Hey,” he says, eyeing me. “Aren’t you that high schooler Ken was dating? The high maintenance one?” His eyes rove curiously over Ricardo before cutting back to me.
I glare at the guy’s audacity as I tap my foot. “I’m turning eighteen in two months, and I am not high maintenance.”
Ricardo opens his mouth to speak, but wisely shuts it again when he sees my laser-like glare.
The guy shrugs. “Like I said. Ken’s not here. Don’t know when he’ll be