“I know you don’t think too highly of him after last Saturday night. I saw the look on your face. You know, after he dropped Dana off . . .” His words drift off like he doesn’t want to come right out and say it.
“You mean when he was being a philandering pig?” I don’t know why I said it. Maybe saying something so mean out loud will remind me of why Ashton is all wrong and I should burn up that damn piece of paper and threaten my subconscious with a lobotomy. I bite the inside of my lip. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that. Exactly.”
Connor gives my knee an affectionate squeeze. “Well, I’m happy that you don’t find him as appealing as every other female on this planet seems to find him. But he’s not that bad. He just doesn’t think with his brain most of the time.” Stepping up onto the ladder rungs until he’s level with my face, he leans in to kiss me. This time I feel his tongue slide over my bottom lip, gently finding its way in to curl around mine. Never forceful, never insistent. Just . . . nice. “See you tomorrow, Livie,” he murmurs. Then, hopping off and shooting me a broad smile and a wink, he leaves my dorm room.
I flop back on my bed, holding my clover, closing my eyes as I think about Connor. Yeah, I know my parents would love him, Dr. Stayner. I’m not oblivious. I know they’d pick him out of a hundred-man lineup just because of his smile. That’s okay. He’s the guy they’d want. He’s the kind of guy every girl wants.
I hear a beep and a click and, a second later, Reagan walking in, out of breath from her jog. “I just passed Connor. He was looking happy. Was that one of your rampant sex sessions?” she jokes between pants, gripping her side like she’s in pain.
“He’s really sweet, Reagan.” I roll onto my stomach, resting my chin on my arms. “Did you know how sweet he is?”
“I did. I’ve heard he treats his girlfriends really well.”
Huh . . . I don’t know why but, for some stupid reason, I haven’t even pictured Connor with anyone else. I’ve pictured Ashton with everyone else and it’s made me nauseous. But Connor’s a gorgeous, smart senior. He’s obviously had girlfriends. And, let’s be smart about this, Connor has also had sex. Probably a lot. I wonder how slow he’s willing to go with me. “How many girlfriends do you think he’s had?”
“Two or three since being here.” Reagan kicks off her shoes. “He was single all of first year. God, did I ever have a massive crush on him back then!” She makes a face. “I also had braces and a fat ass. That’s what you get for being short and curvy. If I don’t keep jogging . . . look out!” She pulls her T-shirt over her head and throws it onto the heap on the floor with her other clothes. Reagan isn’t the neatest person in the world. I don’t mind, though. It suits her wild demeanor. “You know, you should start jogging with me!”
“I’m not the most coordinated person,” I warn with a grimace. “I’m liable to take you out.”
She shrugs. “That’s okay, I know how to tuck and roll.”
“Maybe. One day.” Maybe I’ll like jogging. I won’t know unless I try.
Until then, I can work on calming the butterflies that are swarming inside my stomach, now that I know I’m seeing Ashton tomorrow night.
No, Connor, I don’t find your best friend appealing. Not at all.
CHAPTER TEN
Jealousy
Everyone knows Connor. At least it seems that way as we follow the server through the pub. To my left, a guy waves. To my right, another guy fist-pumps. We pass by a table with four young women. “Hey, Connor!” one calls out. He flashes them a smile and a polite nod and continues on. That’s when all four sets of eyes settle on me and I morph into that frog in my tenth-grade science class. The unfortunate one beneath my scalpel. I shift discreetly to avoid their gazes and end up bumping into Connor. “Sorry,” I murmur. But he just displays those perfect white teeth to me. He doesn’t seem bothered that I’m on his heels. He’s never bothered.
The attractive fortyish server shows us to a table for six and takes a handmade Reserved sign off it. “Thanks, Cheryl,” Connor says.
She pats him on the shoulder. “What can I get you two?”
“A Corona for me and a Jack and Coke for Livie. Right, Livie?”
I just bob my head, clenching my teeth and fighting the urge to announce publicly that I’m only eighteen and this establishment should know better than to serve me alcohol. I have the fake ID my sister gave me but I’m terrified to use it. I think I may pass out if she asks me to pull it out of my wallet.
Cheryl doesn’t card me, though. She simply nods and walks away, her eyes dropping to get a good look at Connor’s butt as she passes.
“Tonight should be a good night. We’ve got front-row seats for the band,” Connor says, gesturing to the stage directly in front of us.