Operation Prom Date (Tactics in Flirting, #1)(31)
Just until I hook him. Then he’ll get to know the real me, and I can slowly clue him in to the fact that I move a little slower.
“We never did have that conversation about UNH,” I tried, my voice coming out less steady than I hoped, but not as shaky as I feared it would.
“Right.” He shifted to face me more fully, keeping his voice low enough to make it a two-person conversation despite the large group surrounding us. “I like that it’s only a forty-to fifty-minute drive. I’d still live on campus to keep up with practices, but I’d be close enough to come home when I need to.”
Before I could tell him I was planning to stick close, mostly because it was cheaper to live at home, he added, “I’m not one of those people afraid to leave home or anything. It’s just…my little brother will be a freshman next year, and he plays football, too. I’d like to be able to at least see some of his games.”
Aww. I thought about that day in the ice cream shop again, and how I could see how much his little brother adored him, and clearly it went both ways. “That’s sweet.”
“Sweet.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure how I feel about being called sweet.”
“It’s a compliment, I promise.” I glanced at my food, but knew I’d never be able to eat while he was looking at me so closely. “And UNH is a really good school. I’m actually planning on going to the branch in Manchester.” My major was still up in the air, but I was leaning toward statistics. There was a big need for it in the health field and software field, so I had a few career paths to play with.
“It is a good school,” Mick said, but something about his posture screamed hesitance.
“So, what’s the hang up?”
He arched his eyebrows like I’d surprised him, and maybe I was reading more into the situation, but he seemed relieved I’d noticed. “It’s not even in the top one hundred as far as football goes. Which probably makes me sound like a total snob, but I want to play for a good school, one who wins.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Exactly. Penn State is top ten. It’ll be more competitive, so I might not play as much, but it’d be more recognition. It’s just farther away—like, seven hours.”
“Hmm. I’m sure your brother will understand that playing college ball will keep you busy. And you could probably sneak in a few games still. There are these things called airplanes that get people places super fast these days.”
A big grin broke out across his face and butterflies went to fluttering like crazy in my gut. “Thanks, Kate,” he added, and the way he said my name sent those butterflies crashing into each other.
I glanced up to find Paris and her gang glaring at me. Except for Amber—instead of pretending I didn’t exist anymore, she gave me a small smile.
I was in the middle of trying to decide if I should return it or attempt a polite hello, or if this was simply some kind of mean-girl trap when Mick shifted even closer. “So?” He moved his lips next to my ear. “About this weekend? You down?”
I twisted to face him and his nose brushed my cheek. My nerve-endings went crazy, a mix of euphoria and weirdness, and I couldn’t really pick one emotion out from the other. At least I knew the answer to his question, though.
I slowly licked my lips and then gave him my best flirty smile. “I’m down.”
Chapter Eighteen
Cooper
“Did that sandwich sleep with your girlfriend or something?” Jaden asked, drawing my attention back to him. He jerked his chin toward it. “Or are you just planning on mangling it into submission before you take a bite?”
I looked down at the ham and cheese sub that now looked like a barbell, the middle flattened to a skinny handle while the ends bulged out on either side of my fist. My gaze accidentally drifted back to Kate. Kate, who was sitting so close to Pecker that there couldn’t be enough oxygen for the both of them in that bubble.
No, my sandwich didn’t sleep with my girlfriend, but some jackass had his hands on my girl. Er, my girl friend—friend who was a girl. I wanted to go over and pry his hands off her, but I was the idiot who’d put them there. Apparently my text yesterday had worked.
Again, go me.
If I watched the snuggle fest any more I’d lose my breakfast, so I forced my focus back to my lunch.
Jaden glanced from their group to me. He opened his mouth and I put up a stop-right-there hand.
“Don’t say it. She’s just a sweet girl, and I’m afraid he’ll hurt her. That’s all.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
Great. Now I was acting like some kind of caveman. I’d never experienced jealousy like this before. The closest I’d come was when I heard someone got a choice in career, or when another team beat ours at one of the regattas, but even that had nothing on this toxic burning sensation eating away at my gut.
Last night I’d let Kate in—into my house, into meeting my mom, who of course told her embarrassing childhood tales. I liked to keep all the parts of my life separate. Made things less complicated.
If she’d merely come over, I could deal. But it was that moment after we’d tumbled off my bed, onto the floor of my room that haunted me. That jolt of electricity, that crackling connection in the air I couldn’t have imagined.