Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 2.
When I finally walked into French class Lindsay just about tackled me.
“Spill”, was all she said.
“What are you talking about?” I asked innocently.
“I saw that look you gave Dawson earlier”, she eyed me suspiciously, “not to mention the disheveled look you were sporting when you ran into class?”
I decided it couldn’t hurt to tell her about my morning jaunt with stalker boy. Her reaction was priceless, wide eyes filled with envy.
“I think he likes you”, she joked.
“He doesn’t even know me”, I said matter of factly.
“Well he’s clearly going through an awful lot of trouble to find out”, she said.
“Waking me up at six in the morning is not how you get on my good side”, I told her.
“Hunny, if that man showed up at my door at 3AM he would have an open invitation”, she said.
I laughed at her. The look in her eyes was hungry, like Dawson was a piece of meat and she was a starving tiger.
After class we exchanged numbers and made plans for a study date over the weekend. Neither of us wanted to chance what a quiz looked like for French class on Monday. As we walked out of class Lindsay let out a huff and nudged me in the side. Looking over to where she was staring I noticed none other than stalker boy, walking towards us.
“Good afternoon lovely ladies”, he said smiling.
Gorgeous smile. I mean, full on, kiss me right here lips, with perfect teeth. I noticed Lindsay looked a little starry-eyed. I elbowed her and she snapped out of it.
“’Hey Handsome”, Lindsay said, eyeing me, “I hear your homeless, poor thing.”
I tried to give her my “you’re so not helping” look.
“That I am”, he replied eyes twinkling. “Alice has been kind enough to keep my food safe until I can find a place. She’s nice like that.” He turned toward me. “Speaking of which, I need to borrow your friend Alice for the afternoon, I hope you don’t mind?” He turned his head toward Lindsay and gave her what I could only describe as his winning smile.
She giggled. Ignoring my hand signals of absolutely not she gave me a big smile.
“See you Saturday Honeybee” and with that she turned and walked off leaving me alone with stalker boy. Lindsay and I were going to have to work on our hand signals.
“You have five minutes until I get to the bus stop” I eyed Dawson balefully.
“I have a better idea”, he said, seemingly unfazed by my death glare. ”I’ll give you a ride home.”
“I happen to like the bus”, I lied, “besides I’m not going home.”
“Where are you going? I can take you”, he said.
This guy was relentless. I sighed.
“You still owe me forty bucks for groceries”, I told him, “Or did you forget you said you’d pitch in.”
“I was talking about rent”, he grinned.
“You can’t just invite yourself to move into someone’s apartment! I don’t even know you”, I couldn’t believe this guy.
“You should see your face”, he pointed at me laughing, “Lighten up, I was just joking.”
Murder. I would murder this man.
“I am trying though,” he continued, “to know you.”
His look was all of a sudden serious. It was making me uncomfortable.
“Forty bucks”, I told him, “And my bus is here.”
He steered me past the bus stop and over toward the student parking lot.
“Consider this my first form of payment”, he said pulling his keys out of his pocket.
“Why do I feel like you’re getting the better deal here”, I said looking over at him.
He looked down at me amusement glinting in his eyes.
“Fine”, I relented, “take me home.”
“Kiss me,” I whispered, and saw his eyebrows arc in surprise. “Just once more,” I pleaded, “And I promise it will be the last time. I’ll be able to forget you after that,” a bald-faced lie.
Tempest in a Teacup 