Which I suppose is close enough to the truth to make him doubt that it is actually the truth. Did I mention I was terrible at reverse psychology, too?
A tiny crease forms at the edge of his mouth. I look away from the distinctly not-academic turn of my thoughts and the dangerous glint in Josh's eye. Suddenly, I very much think he is not doubting the truth of my response. How's that for a plan backfiring?
He makes a noise in his throat, and I very much remember the feel of his lips against mine.
"Careful. I might think you're flirting with me." I love the sound of his voice.
I want to feel him again. His taste, the softness of his mouth on mine. The rough scrape of his stubble against my skin.
“I have an assignment due.”
I look away. This isn't going very smoothly at all. I can't do this again. Not right now. And no, the parts of my anatomy that are currently standing up at attention at his proximity do not get a vote.
For a big man covered in tattoos, he surprises me with the vulnerability I see looking back at me, hidden behind a teasing smile.
"So what you’re saying is that I might have a better shot next week? Or after your assignment is done?"
I smile despite myself. Clearly, reason is not going to work with him. Or my own damn hormones. Traitorous bastards. "You're not listening."
"No, I am. In fact, I'll show you exactly how good I can listen." He snaps his fingers. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Why a few minutes?"
"Because judging by how fast you were typing a minute ago, the faster you get your assignment done, the faster I get to have you checking out my sweet ass."
And damn it, I laugh as he up and walks away toward the coffee shop in the library.
Because sure enough, he looks over his shoulder.
Just in time to see me checking out his ass.
I am so screwed.
Chapter 9
Josh
I didn't actually have a plan when I walked up to Abby. I just saw her sitting there and was hit with a sense of longing, a sense of being found that was so strong, so compelling, there was little I could have done to ignore it.
I can't stop thinking about the way she felt beneath my lips. The way she yielded beneath my touch as I kissed her. And when she'd opened, just a little, the want inside me damn near dropped me to my knees. She made me miss things I'd given up on. Things I thought I'd made peace with, the way my life had turned out.
I was wrong.
I hadn't meant to kiss her. To think about her. To start looking for her in a crowd. It had just kind of happened. Kind of like how I'd ended up at the Baywater to begin with.
My small obsession isn't going anywhere any time soon. But given that she just told me she was checking out my sweet ass, and then I caught her doing exactly that, my day was looking up.
It felt good to tease her. Like I was stepping into the sunshine after a long grey period. It had been so long since I'd been around a female who I was genuinely attracted to. I don't count the bullshit hookups back at Hood. Or my stalker.
I order coffee, and because I have no idea what she might actually want, I stuff a bunch of cream and sugar in my pocket. I count to one hundred before I go back to where she’s sitting.
"I managed to stay away for five minutes." I set the coffee down next to her computer. "Was it long enough?"
She looks away from her computer at me. Her eyes are liquid gold in the light, lined with a darker sable ring. And yeah, I've got it f*ck
ing bad if I'm noticing her irises.
If I close my eyes, I can see her standing next to me at the bar, her eyes dark and concerned. As though I mattered.
Like she really saw me and not the pretense I've been showing the world since I got back from the war.
She glances at the coffee cup in my hand. "What if I don't drink coffee?"
"Well, ah…I hope you'll be polite and drink it anyway because, otherwise, my notoriously fragile male ego might shatter into a thousand pieces. I might never recover from the rejection." I dump the cream and sugar packets on the table then look up at her, suddenly deeply unsure that I might have offended her. "Do you drink coffee?"
She laughs, and it's a full laugh, not some insipid giggle.
"Yeah, Josh, I drink coffee." She opens a creamer. "Thank you for this."
"Well, if your night was anything like mine, you're going to have a hell of a time staying awake in Quinn's class today." I watch her dump all the cream and half the sugar into her coffee. "Want a little coffee with your cream?"
"You are not allowed to judge my caffeine preferences." She points that little stir stick in my face.
"You could never be in the Army," I say. "We can't run without caffeine, but half the time all we have is that instant coffee creamer."
She looks down at her coffee, her expression darkening just a little.
It takes me a second to realize what I've said.
f*ck