My eyes narrow. Who the hell does he think I am? “You don’t have to worry about that. It won’t happen.”
“It better not,” he says, glaring down at me. “When’s the study date?”
I squint in confusion. “Why do you care?”
“So I can be there,” he says with a lift of his shoulder.
A humorless laugh leaves my lips. He’s out of his mind. “You’re not serious.”
“What’s the big deal?” he asks, humor coating his tone. “Hiding something?”
“No.”
Lucas nods knowingly, a smirk on the corner of his mouth. “Then I’m tagging along.”
“You’re not even a student here,” I say, placing my hand on my hip. “How do I explain why you’re there?”
He gives a slight, resigned shrug. “You can tell him we’re going on a date after.”
My eyes narrow as suspicion creeps in. “I know what you’re doing.”
“Yeah?” he asks with a cocky grin on his lips. “And what’s that?”
I can’t help but roll my eyes in disbelief at his amused tone. “You think if you’re there, then nothing will happen.”
His brows lift, and he runs a hand over his chin. “Then what are you so afraid of?” he asks. “If you say this isn’t a date and nothing will happen, then you won’t mind if I come along, will you?”
Asshole. He knows exactly how to play me. If I say I don’t want him there, then he’ll assume something is going on with Connor. I have no choice but to let him come. My stomach settles when I think of Lucas there. It won’t be me and Connor alone anymore, and for some reason, I actually prefer it. “Fine,” I huff. “It’s tomorrow at my place.”
“Great. Send me the address.”
I let out an audible sigh of frustration as I turn around and start to walk away when I hear his voice. “See you tomorrow, Madeline.”
Chapter 13
Study date
Madeline’s frown is the first thing I see when she opens the door. Most people wouldn’t like that, they’d be offended or even feel hurt by it.
But when she does it, I just smile instead. I wonder if she thought I was bluffing on the whole crashing her date thing. There is no way I’d let her be alone with him. I’ve only seen that guy twice, but he does not want to study. He wantsher.
And much to Madeline’s dismay, I can’t let that happen. When she signed the NDA, she agreed to the rules, including the ones that weren’t on the contract, which means no other guys.
“You seem glad to see me,” I joke, my eyes drifting to the curls on her head. It’s the first time I’ve seen her with curly hair, and fuck, she looks good. Too bad she’s a pain in my ass.
“Delighted,” she drawls, opening her door and allowing me to enter.
I glance around, noting that there isn’t a single speck of dirt. Every inch of this place seems to have been freshly cleaned from the floors to the tables to the cabinets. “Nice place.”
Her head snaps to the left, those eyes widening at me. “Was that… a compliment?”
I let out a laugh, running my hand through my hair. “I am capable of those, you know?”
She hums, disagreeing. “Really? I wouldn’t know.”
I snicker, rubbing a thumb over my lip.If only she could hear my thoughts.“Maybe because you’re ripping my head off every chance you get.”
She lets out a sigh, heading into the kitchen when the microwave beeps. She pulls out a bag of freshly made popcorn.
