Nailed - Opal Carew Page 0,7
her?
“I don’t know…”
“We could grab some dinner first. There’s this great place on Main. Donatello’s. Know it?”
She frowned. “I can’t afford a place like that.”
“My treat.”
“No, I’m sorry.”
“Okay, we can just grab a pizza at this place called Stefano’s on Kilburn, then go back to my place to study.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Come on. You have to eat, right? And you’re going to be studying anyway. Why not with me?”
Oh, God. She didn’t understand this and she didn’t think she wanted to. Because she feared if she did understand why this popular, sexy stud was talking to her—inviting her out—that she wouldn’t like the reason.
She wanted to take him up on his offer. To live like someone who wasn’t a misfit. To know what it felt like to be accepted.
And because she was wildly attracted to him. She had been from the moment she’d first set eyes on him in September on the first day of classes. But she’d known right then and there that he was someone she’d never get to know. Never date.
But now here he was, asking her out. How could she say no?
Then he flashed her that smile again and her barriers withered.
“Okay,” she said.
“Great. I’ll pick you up at five.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll meet you there. Five-thirty?”
“Sure.”
He stood up and she watched him walk back to his friends. A few of them were chuckling and whispering amongst themselves, but when he returned, they got up and started tossing the Frisbee again.
By bus, it would take her at least forty-five minutes to get to Kilburn Street. Sometimes she cursed her own stubbornness at not accepting things from others.
She saw Luanne walking toward her, her gaze on the guys. She slumped into the seat beside River.
“What were you doing talking to him?” Her tone sounded accusing.
“I don’t know. He just came over and invited me to study with him tonight.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Luanne said.
River shook her head.
“You’re not going, are you?”
At River’s silence, Luanne’s brown eyes widened. “What the hell? Are you crazy?”
“He’s good at chemistry and I could use the help.”
“You don’t really think he’s interested in studying, do you?”
“Well, I doubt he wants to do anything with me. I’m not exactly his type.”
“That’s true. But it wouldn’t stop him from having sex with you if he got the chance.”
“What if that was okay with me?”
“It’ll be okay with you if he nails you just to show he can? ’Cause maybe he’s going slumming, or just wants some variety?”
“You’re being pretty insulting, Luanne. You don’t think he might actually like me?”
Luanne snorted. “Based on what evidence? Up ’til now you’ve been totally invisible to him.”
River closed her textbook and pushed it into her backpack. Luanne could be insensitive and callous sometimes.
“I’m heading home.”
When she stood up, Luanne grasped her arm. “Riv, just be careful, okay?”
River glanced at the concern in Luanne’s brown eyes and nodded. Her friend was just looking out for her.
“Of course. I’ll see you later.”
* * *
River arrived at the restaurant at five-thirty to find that Kane had already ordered a pizza for them and a couple of sodas. She felt awkward as she sat down at the table across from him.
“I got the special,” he said. “You aren’t vegetarian, are you?”
She shook her head.
The waiter brought their pizza and set it on a metal stand.
Kane placed a slice on her plate, then one on his, then he took a bite.
She watched his full lips move as he ate. Desire coiled inside her at the thought of those lips moving on hers. Of his masculine hands gliding along her skin. Of him undressing her and …
“River?”
She snapped to attention as she realized he’d just said something.
“What?”
“Don’t you want any pizza? I could get you something else.”
“No, that’s okay.” She picked up a piece and bit into it. It was warm and cheesy, with a spicy flavor from the Italian sausage.
“So what do you plan to do when you graduate?” he asked.
She shrugged. Graduation was a long way off. “I’m not sure yet.”
All she knew for certain was that she wanted a better future than her parents had offered. Her dad had been in and out of jail when she’d been growing up—she’d never known why—then finally her mom had left him. Her mom was an exotic dancer and worked until all hours of the night. River used to be afraid sleeping in the apartment all by herself, always relieved when she finally heard her mother come in at night.
Unless she’d had a man with