My head snapped up at his surprising response. I narrowed my eyes. “Should I be?”
“Well, yeah. A guy could get a complex.” He relaxed back in his chair and the front of his dark hair brushed the corners of his electric blue eyes. Though he tried to keep a straight face, a teasing grin played on his lips.
The corner of my mouth twitched. This guy was painfully adorable. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name the other day.”
The edges of his mouth rose, forming the most amazing smile I’d ever seen. Rosy lips that were neither too thin nor too plump framed a set of straight, white teeth. But the best part was his eyes smiled along with them. Those eyes—they were a color I’d never seen before. Icy blue crystallized sapphires that literally sparkled. Like, literally.
And they were moving closer to me.
Back up!
He extended his hand in the short distance that remained between us. “Blake. Nice to meet you . . .” He hung there, his eyebrows raised.
That’s your cue, dummy!
“Evangelina,” I blurted out the way you would if you’d just remembered the key answer on a test.
That is my name, right?
I cleared my throat and repeated a bit slower, “Evangelina. But my friends call me—”
“Angel,” he interrupted, matter-of-factly.
“What?” I frowned.
“Your name. It’s Angel.” He said it as a statement, like I didn’t have a name all along and he was there to do the honors.
“That’s one version, yes, but no one calls me that.” Was I just about to tell him to call me by my nickname?
“You’re saying I’m no one?” His eyes turned sad, and he pouted, making a show of looking like I’d hurt his feelings.
“What? No, of course not,” I stumbled out. “That’s not what I meant. I mean . . .” His saddened expression bothered me more than I cared to admit. I blew out a puff of air in defeat. “It’s fine. Call me whatever you want.”
“Angel.” My supposed name rolled off his tongue as though he’d actually tasted it, and I thought maybe he had. He considered it another moment before his gaze slipped down to my lips. “I like that.”
Flutters ran rampant in my heart, sending warmth to my cheeks. My belly was a mess of knots, forcing an unexplained heat to swell in its pit. One I’d never felt before. Fire knots. There were fire knots in my belly.
“Um, thanks.” I glanced down at my lap, my white knuckles gripping the edge of the seat, needing something to keep me grounded. Geez, what’s happening to me? I was Evangelina Ricci—heartbreak extraordinaire. I never let anyone get this close.
Get away from him, Eva! Do your thing and make him go away!
“So, Angel . . .” He propped his hand under his perfectly squared off chin. “Since we’re properly acquainted now, why don’t you tell me why you keep running away from me? I promise I shower. Sometimes twice a day.” There was that sexy ass grin again.
And why did he have to mention the shower? My mind immediately flashed to his wet muscular form, beads of water dripping from the tips of his hair, rolling down the curves of his back—
I need out now!
“I haven’t been running from you.” Flushed, I pressed the button on the side of my cell phone and glanced at the screen before stuffing it into my bag. “But would you look at the time. I have an English class to get to.” I pushed back from the table and swung my satchel over my shoulder.
That’s it, girl. Move your ass!
In one swift motion, Blake was on his feet, beside me. “Oh, really? Me, too. I’ll walk over with you.”
Sure you will. This boy doesn’t miss a beat.
“Who’s your professor?” I asked, hopeful I could end the madness and reclaim the use of my lungs. And my legs.
“Sorrenson.”
No such luck.
“Well, what a coincidence.” I looked up at him out of the corner of my eye, raising a brow.
His smile widened as he realized he had me for the next hour and fifty minutes.
Figuring I better buckle in for the ride, I slowed my pace. Mr. Tall, Dark and Delicious wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. He just got exactly what he wanted.
“Wonderfuckingful,” I muttered under my breath.
“What?” His eyebrows pulled together.
“Huh? Oh . . . um, weather’s beautiful.” Way to go, Eva. Who ARE you right now?
We headed out of the cafeteria, and the unusually warm air enveloped my goose bumped skin. I stopped and tipped my head to the sun, inhaling a deep cleansing breath in an attempt to regain my composure. Soaking in some vitamin D, I searched for my equilibrium.
Feeling him watching me, I opened one squinting eye. Blake raked a shaky hand through his carefully styled, raven hair.
“Sorry, you caught me.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at the ground, rocking back on his heels.
I threw him a bone to lighten the mood. “Caught you what?”
He looked up and I sent a quick wink his way.