“I—miss you.”
“Bullshit,” I said, glaring at him.
“It’s not bullshit,” he gritted out. “I miss you so much.”
His jaw flexed and I saw him swallow convulsively.
“I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“How’s your girlfriend?” I interrupted.
“We—” he began, but I turned away.
“Never mind, I don’t want to hear it. Just go away. I don’t want to be your friend or anything. Don’t fucking bother.”
“Jo-bug, please,” Jesse pleaded, and I felt his big hand on my wrist, burning even though he held me gently. Like I’d disappear or something.
I shook him off in a fury.
“Don’t ever call me by that nickname again,” I spat at him, so angry that I wrenched my hand from his hold.
Jesse looked startled.
“Just let me explain—” he was saying, but I was already headed to the door. Then it opened and Taylor was there.
Of all the rotten awful luck.
But instead of saying anything, she just stood there, darting her eyes between us.
Jesse inexplicably ignored her completely, following me to the exit.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked me.
He was so close that I could smell his skin, the familiar scents of ice and heat.
“Absolutely not,” I retorted. “Get yourself in check, buddy.”
“Is there a problem?” I heard a deep voice behind me and I whirled around to see Karel, folding his arms and looking at Jesse and I. Taylor had taken a few steps back into the hallway and was watching with a frown on her pretty face.
“There’s no problem,” Jesse said, and I saw the way he turned almost protectively in front of me.
I wanted to fucking rip his face off.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Karel said.
Up close, his face was even more attractive, a straight strong nose with dark brows and thick head of dark waves.
“She’s no concern of yours,” Jesse said sharply.
I could barely see Karel past my ex’s broad shoulders.
“Beautiful women are always my concern,” Karel said. “Especially teachers. I love teachers.”
Oh, he was slick and he was trouble, but I couldn’t help smiling at his flirting.
“I give you an A for looks and a C for original lines,” I said.
Karel laughed at this, but Jesse didn’t.
