I admit having to get clearance from Daddy takes some of the thrill out of going to the swing dancing club we frequented last semester, since our excursion won’t require clandestine sneaking.
“I’m in,” Ricardo says, then lower in my ear. “It’ll give you a chance to let your hair down, mon coeur. And trust me. You need it.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the faint press of his lips on my jaw stuns me into silence. My eyes blink slowly in incomprehension. He just kissed me right in front of my sister. My best friend. My bodyguard. The whole school! He’s brazen. The complete opposite of Kenneth.
Speaking of, I see Kenneth down the hall, slinking back toward the health center.
My brow furrows. Is that why Ricardo kissed me just now? For Kenneth’s benefit? If he did, that’s great. It was the whole point of this fake dating arrangement, after all. So why the tinge of disappointment rippling through me right now?
“Pardonnez-moi, but I could use some coffee before my next class. Anyone else want to come?” Genevieve’s eyes move over each of us.
I shake my head. I’m already hopped up on the giant mocha I had an hour ago.
Adrienne, however, yawns in assent. “I think I will. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Genevieve, Adrienne, and Mikhail move off toward the eatery.
Ricardo withdraws his arms from around my waist, leaving burning strips along my skin.
“Hey,” my mouth protests without my permission as Ricardo spins me toward him.
“You went rigid just now. What was that?” he asks, locking eyes with me.
There is no way I’m telling him it’s because I wished, only for a nanosecond, that he kissed me because he wanted to and not because Kenneth was around. It would only make his ego bigger than it already is. No, instead I choose to poke the bear. “If you wanted to see me with my hair down, you could have invited me to hang out in the kitchen with you guys that night. Instead I come down for a snack and see all of you palling around without me. What was that?” I’m whispering by the end, realizing how vulnerable I sound. How lonely. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“Oh, mon coeur. I’m sorry.” He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a soft hug. “If I’d known how difficult it is for you to be away from me, I would definitely have invited you.”
Groaning even as I laugh, I pull away. “Yes, that’s me. Creeping down the hall to be closer to you. Arg, you’re the worst. Don’t you take anything seriously?”
Laughter rumbles from his throat. “Nope. It’s more fun this way.”
I’d like to kiss that smug look off his face. That, I bet he’d take seriously. I frown. I can’t believe I just thought that. I have to put some distance between us before I do something I regret. “Whatever. See you later.” I move into the stream of people navigating the hallway.
“Whoa, whoa, not so fast. Where’s the fire?” Ricardo says, snagging my arm as I try to sail past him.
“Nowhere. Just decided Genevieve and Adrienne had the right idea, getting away from you.”
“Ouch. Alright, let’s get some coffee.”
“You weren’t invited.”
Even though it’s been a few weeks, I’m still pleasantly surprised when the crowd parts to let the two of us pass. “I’m your devilishly handsome plus one.”
“About that, I think we should break up.” No. Yes. No. Yes?
Ricardo stops in his tracks. “No, no, no. That’s a terrible idea. This is way too much fun. Plus, you know why I was late? My mom tried to corner me after class, and you were my excuse to leave. All of the girls on campus are nicer to me now that I’m a committed man. And Kenneth isn’t jealous enough yet.” He looks a little green as he talks. I didn’t know he was so hell-bent on avoiding his mom. Or having such a hard time dating only one girl the first month of the semester.
Oh no. It hits me. This Saturday. It’s couple’s night at the swing club because it also happens to be Valentine’s Day. Crap. What am I going to do about that? I can’t spend it with Ricardo. That would be way too… real. I should put a stop to this right now, before I dig myself even deeper. I’m already in neck-deep as it is. But the way he’s looking at me right