Paige fans herself again. “You two are a five-alarm fire.”
I shoot her another look, and Nick chuckles. “Abby and I definitely have chemistry.”
Is that what this is? Is that why my heart beats erratically and I’m clammy all over? Because of chemistry?
I glance around, noticing that his friends are watching our table. “I thought you didn’t want people to know about us?”
His head jerks back. “When did I say that?”
“You said you didn’t want Hazel to know anything, so I took that to mean you want to keep this quiet on campus too. I mean, I never see you at school, but I figured…”
His voice lowers. “You’re not my dirty little secret, Abby. Just because I don’t want Hazel to know doesn’t mean we have to sneak around everywhere else.” He scans the room. “We don’t usually come to this cafeteria, but it’s not too far out of my way for lunch. I can meet you here sometimes.”
Paige, the little shit stirrer, taps the table. “Almost like a date.”
I glare at her, and the glee in her eyes is unmistakable. She’s making more of this than she should. Nick doesn’t want to go on dates. He just wants companionship and sex. I got that memo loud and clear.
So I’m one hundred percent shocked when he shrugs. “I mean, yeah. I don’t have a lot of time in my schedule or we could leave campus. Do something fun.”
“Do you do anything for fun?” I ask dryly.
He shakes his head. “Smartass.”
“What’s next for you this afternoon, Nick?” Paige asks sweetly. “Because Abigail here doesn’t need to be anywhere for an hour, whereas I have class in ten minutes. So bye, darlings. Love y’all.” She blows me a kiss and flounces off.
Nick chuckles. “She really wants us to happen, huh?”
“You have no idea. Just ignore her.”
I finally get the courage to look at him, and when our eyes meet, my heart leaps in my chest.
He nods slowly. “I don’t have to get to the locker room for a bit.”
“I’m taking over for Denise later today, as you probably know, but I need to pick up a packet in the library first. Want to come with me?” Because that sounds so exciting.
“Let’s go.”
When he stands, my eyes go straight to his ass, which is encased by the perfect pair of worn jeans that cling to his muscular rear. Would it be wrong to bite it?
“Eyes up here, buttercup.” His sexy smirk makes me huff.
“I wasn’t checking you out.”
As I come to a stand, his giant hands land on my shoulders. “Really? Because I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t checking you out in your cute little outfit. Turn around.”
I’m wearing another Paige ensemble—a scoop-neck shirt and a Goodwill skirt I bought for ten dollars with some strappy sandals. It’s really nothing exciting, but she always manages to pair my outfits really well so I look less like a homeless librarian and more like a normal college student.
She made me box up all of my khaki pants when I moved to Nick’s. Paige wanted me to donate the clothes, but I’m keeping them just in case I need something comfy.
I do an awkward twirl before I crash into him. “I’m not good in heels.”
He sets me upright with a chuckle before he tosses an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get you to the library before I bend you over this table.”
Oh, good golly.
Would he really do that?
I’m shockingly amenable to the suggestion. I mean, if we weren’t surrounded by dozens of other students.
