I forced my gaze up, and it skated over his clean-shaven, square chin to meet his fathomless dark eyes, as he said, “I’ve already got one picked out, but I figured you’d at least like to know I’m capable of feeding you before you say yes.”
My head fell back, laughter pouring out as students vacated the lecture hall around us.
When I stared back at him, I chuckled some more, swiping beneath my eyes to make sure the leakage hadn’t smudged my mascara. “You’re a total rogue.”
“Rogue?” he questioned.
“Mischievous,” I said. “And I’m guessing you’re going to make me climb these seats to get out if I don’t say yes to dinner.”
He puckered his full bottom lip while tilting his head. “You’d be right. But I’m willing to negotiate.”
“What?” I laughed out. “Breakfast instead of dinner?”
“I’ll settle for buying you a milkshake.” All humor left his face. “Right now.”
I didn’t have any other classes for the day, but he might. “You don’t have class?”
“Nope, and I’ll take that as a yes.” He backed out of the aisle, bowing with a swinging arm for me to go ahead of him.
I sighed, yet I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. “Fine. You’re paying.”
He scoffed, walking beside me up the stairs. “I may be a rogue, but I’m no scoundrel.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m smitten.”
“You don’t even know me,” I countered once we’d hit the stairs outside.
He stopped at the bottom, catching my hand gently in his. “So give me a chance to.”
I turned to him. Chewing on my lip, I studied the earnest set to his jaw and the honest spark to his eyes. “Okay, but I must warn you…” I pulled my hand from his and headed in the direction of the cafeteria. I stopped talking, unsure why I wanted to divulge my cracked open heart to him. As if any guy wanted to hear about how the girl he was chasing was hung up on someone else.
“Warn me?” he asked, catching up and walking backward as he surveyed my face, then my tangled mess of hair that kept slapping my cheeks courtesy of the wind.
“Milkshake first,” I said, pushing open the door. “I’m scoring a freebie before you run for the hills.”
He said nothing to that but ordered two vanilla malts, and the sight of them was enough to curdle my stomach.
“So,” he said, sliding his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans before taking a seat opposite me. “You’ve got an ex you’re not over or something?”
I pursed my lips, then dunked my straw, eyeing the frothy milk. “Pretty much, but I’m trying.” Aiden was quiet, and I looked up to find him staring at me. “Sorry.”
He whistled, blinking, and it was then I realized he’d asked the question in jest.
Silence crept in, and I struggled to hold his gaze.
“You don’t need to apologize,” he finally said. “Everyone’s got some kind of baggage to carry.”
A little relieved, I smiled, and some passing girls cooed and waved to Aiden. He flicked his head at them, then returned his attention to me.
“You don’t seem like the settling down type anyway.”
He chuckled. “I’m not, no. I’ve had one serious girlfriend, and that was in my senior year.”
“Uh-huh. How long did that last?”
He pursed his lips, as if trying to remember. “Long enough.”
“So.” I raised a brow. “Do you offer marriage to all the girls you want to sleep with?”
Leaning over the table, he took my hand in his, his gaze snatching and holding mine. “No. Only the ones I want to continuously sleep with.”
“You might not like sleeping with me. You’ve never done it before,” I whispered, and that sour feeling in my stomach made way for heat.
“I’m a betting man, and I’m willing to bet a whole fucking lot on you being the best time I’ll ever have.” His thumbs brushed over my clammy skin, and then he sat back and drew a lengthy sip of his milkshake.
Still blinking at him, I did the same, too aware of my thighs clenching together.
A lot of boys, soon-to-be men, had tried to do what Aiden had successfully done in a matter of minutes; pique my interest. But I’d never been able to see or feel anything, not even lust, for someone else.
Not until then.
Yet I kept on pushing. “I’m still in love with someone.”
Aiden’s hand went to his heart, and he flashed a crooked smile. “I see what’s going on here.” I noticed how quick it fell. “That’s fine. Keep trying