I glared as much as I could. “Just how long have you been waiting?”
He crossed his arms, looking as if my half-hearted glare amused him. “Too long,” he said with exaggeration. “I’ve been waiting for you far too long.” His voice was that deep, smooth tone that no matter what was said, it made everything seem like it was going to be alright.
“You looked like you were well attended to while you had to wait a whole ten minutes for me,” I said, eyeing the dozens of eyes glaring my direction.
“Yeah, but they’re not you,” he said. “My very own tour guide for the night, or for however long it takes.” He smiled again, sending me into a spiral of reactions that could have been bad lines plucked from a cheesy romance novel: everything blurred around him, my breath got caught in my throat, and I felt tingly all the way down to my toes.
I’d waited my whole life to react this way to someone, why—when the monumental moment finally arrived—did it have to be in response to a guy like him? A guy that would, on any other day had I not been the only one available to be at his beckon call, would pay more attention to the beige-colored walls behind me than a girl like me.
“I’m sure your fan club would have no problem giving you a tour of our illustrious campus,” I said dryly. “Perhaps even an in-depth study in the classroom anatomy is taught.”
He weaved his fingers through the long tufts hair, his face curving around an expression that screamed amusement. “You’re feistier than I thought you’d be.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I replied, trying to look everywhere but into his eyes.
“On the contrary. I’m pleased.”
My heart stopped and jumped started at the same time. I wanted to flog myself for reacting this way to him, and that’s what responded, “I can die knowing I fulfilled my calling in life,” I said, crossing my arms. “I’ve pleased a man, my life’s sole mission.” The words spilled out before I realized the double meaning. My blush was as instant as my embarrassment.
He didn’t miss it, either. “Pleased a man indeed,” he said, a glint in his eye, although his cheeks colored in a way that made me wonder if all his swagger was nothing but a show.
I rolled my eyes and looked away from him.
“Shall we?” he said, sweeping his hand towards the door I’d just come through.
“Why don’t we head to the cafeteria first so we can go over what classes you’re taking,” I said, trying to sound like I knew what I was doing. I’d lost my mind, quite literally. Had he asked me to show him to the gym or science lab, I couldn’t have, my mind was a complete blank. “We can do the tour after,” I said, hoping to buy some time to put the pieces of my mind back in place.
“You’re the expert. I’m just along for the ride.”
I turned and headed for the cafeteria, a chorus of sighs following us down the hall.
“It’s brutal to lift their hopes only to let them down,” I said when he shouldered up next to me, nodding back at his admirers who looked fanatical enough to sport t-shirts with his face on them.
He looked at me like he didn’t have a clue what I was talking about.
“Surely you didn’t miss the effect you had on every one of those girls back there,” I said, no inflection of a question in my voice.
His eyebrows knitted tighter together, before a smile—that was all swagger—ironed them back to normal. “Did I have the same effect on you?”
I looked straight ahead as I answered, “It takes more than a smile and a schmooze to make my heart go pitter-patter.”
“That,” he said, all matter-of-fact, “I did expect.”
He’d apparently arrived with as many preconceptions of me as I had of him.
“You know,” I said, flipping my hair over shoulder. “This whole egomaniac thing you’re trying to sell doesn’t fool me.”
“Ego-maniac?” he repeated in a tone that suggested he’d never heard the phrase.
I’m so sure.
“E-G-O-maniac as in cocky, conceited, full of oneself, afraid to show the teensiest bit of vulnerability,” I said, flashing my hands in front of me, “so on and so forth.”
He exhaled. “Isn’t that what women want? It seems I’ve heard somewhere that nice guys finish last. Besides, you’re one to talk,” he said, his voice elevating. “With your quick witted answer to everything. You had a chip on your shoulder before you even met me from whatever preconceived ideas you had of me. So, who exactly do you want me to be?” He sounded serious—scary serious—but I knew he was likely trying to bait me. I wasn’t going to be hooked so easy.
“You could never be anything like what I want,” I lied, weaving through the bustling hall lined with students discussing their plans for the weekend.
A flicker of hurt registered in his eyes before it was gone, replaced by his signature swagger. “So you must be one of those people who believe in soul mates, love-at-first-sight, that whole bit, right?” He didn’t wait for me to reply. “That lovely rose-tinted glasses idea that there is only one person out there made just for you.” This time he paused and looked over at me, waiting for an answer. I pulled my lips into a tight line of resolve. “Stop me if I’ve got it wrong.”
I lowered my eyes, letting my silence answer.
Keeping stride with me, he tilted his head down until his gaze met mine. For the first time I saw an emotion in them that didn’t make me want to roll my eyes. “Lucky for us, I’m one of those people too.”