The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(28)

“Can … I sit with you?” Christian asked.

I glanced up. He was trying to sound casual, but he probably didn’t realize he was biting his bottom lip. I wondered if I made him nervous. He certainly made me feel unsettled.

“Just sit down somewhere, Mr. Ferril,” Mr. Powell announced from the front, sounding annoyed. I giggled.

Despite this being detention, it actually wasn’t very strict, especially in this classroom. Mr. Powell had a tendency to read the newspaper instead of enforcing the law. I liked that about him.

Christian was still standing at the end of the table, so I nodded toward Kira’s chair, and he smiled as he sat down. Wow. His cologne smelled rather good, very natural and earthy.

“So,” he said, drumming his fingers on the table. “How long do we have to stay in here?”

“Until ten minutes before lunch is over.” I looked sideways at him, noticing that his hair had fallen to cover his eyes. I didn’t really like that. It seemed sneaky.

“Good,” he said, leaning back and turning to me. “Because I’m ravenous. I thought I had to miss the entire lunch.”

“I don’t think that’s legal,” I pointed out.

“Right.”

We sat for a minute, silent, but not uncomfortably so. Somehow, being alone with him was easier than being near him with an audience. Go figure. Mr. Powell turned the page of his newspaper loudly and hunched over to read.

Christian leaned toward me. “Would you like to know anything about me?” I looked at him, and he smiled that perfect grin. I couldn’t really think of anything, but … I didn’t want to seem unfriendly.

“Sure. Did you like being a Duck?” I adjusted myself in the chair, folding my hands onto my lap.

“Yep. My turn.”

Wait. I didn’t know this was a give-and-take.

He cleared his throat. “Why are you so proper? Like with the swearing and everything?”

I blinked. It had been a while since I’d needed to explain my perkiness. “It’s not that I’m proper, Christian. This is just how I am. I’m perky. I’m polite. There’s no need to be all gloom and doom. Someone has to make people feel good.”

Christian pressed his lips together, looking impressed, and nodded. “You definitely are not gloom and doom.”

That was nice of him to say. And truth be told, I wasn’t always like this. There was a time when I was just like everyone else. But my parents liked me like this. In fact, everyone did, so it just stuck. It felt natural. I liked making people happy.

“Your turn to ask,” he said, folding his hands behind his neck and leaning back in the chair. I glanced at the clock. We still had twenty minutes together.

“When did your parents get divorced?” I asked softly.

His expression changed. He rubbed roughly at his jaw and then straightened his back. “Officially?”

I nodded. I hoped the question wasn’t too painful.

“Last month.”

“And that’s why you’re here?”

He looked me over. “Don’t feel sorry for me, Tessa. You know, at least half of all marriages end in divorce.” He narrowed his heavily lashed brown eyes. “And like 99 percent of high school romances don’t last.”

My face twitched. Was he trying to say that Aiden and I wouldn’t last? “You really don’t know me all that well, Christian.” And he certainly didn’t know that I was fully aware of the breakup statistics. I did it for a living, for Pete’s sake.

“True,” he said, backing off. He laid his hands on the table in front of him. “And how about you? What’s your family like? Do you live in a gingerbread house somewhere?”

“I, in fact, live in a ranch-style home in Murray Hills. No candy roofs or evil witches.” Well, except for Aiden’s mother.

“And I’m guessing your parents are living happily ever after?”

I dropped my eyes. Even though my parents were happy, it still didn’t mean there weren’t painful memories. “My parents got back together after some time apart.”

Christian made a noise, but I didn’t look up at him. I was fairly done with this conversation. I began to pick at the bottom of my shirt.

“You look cute when you’re sad.”

My eyes snapped up to his.

“Ask me another question.” He tilted his head.

But I wasn’t into games like this. I didn’t flirt with strangers. And even though I was participating reluctantly, I still felt like it was illegal.

Christian stretched his arms over his head and then exhaled. “Fine, I’ll answer the one I’m sure you’re dying to know.”

“And which one is that?”

He widened his eyes as if it was a stupid question. “Whether or not I have a girlfriend. ”

There was an uneasy turn to my stomach. No. Actually, I hadn’t been wondering that, but if he did have a girlfriend, I would be very disappointed. I wasn’t sure Kira could take another heartbreak.

“You look worried, Tessa,” he said, completely misreading my expression. “I don’t have a girlfriend. I don’t even have a psychotic ex. So you’re in the clear.”

Me? Why was I in the clear? Maybe I needed to be more direct.

“Christian,” I said simply, touching his arm. He flexed. “Christian, I’m not sure if this is accidental or not, but it seems like you’re hitting on me.” My face was beginning to redden. This was much easier to say in my head. I dropped my hand.