Sweat glistens on his forearms and his T-shirt is soaked through, accentuating the broad chest he pressed to me a couple of days ago. My body fires to life at the sight of him; he looks like he’s stepped from the pages of a male model calendar. Or those pictures my friends are forever linking on Facebook. No, he’d have to be shirtless for that. An image of the shirtless Evan pops into my head and I want to smack myself. I’m convinced he’s going to walk in the opposite direction, towards the trees where his eyes have shifted. But no. My heart rate spikes as he walks over . Get a gri p .
“Ness…” He crosses his arms over his chest, looking at me uncertainly. “I didn’t expect to find you on campus.”
“I’m keeping an eye on Abby.”
The look he gives me holds disbelief. Surely he doesn’t think I’m here because of him.
“I’m not stalking you,” I say to him, “I’m with Abby.”
Abby did a pretty good stalking job though. Unable to contact Matt, she set about finding Evan. Her ingenuity astounds me; her motivation worries me.
“Yeah, she found me.”
“Lucky you,” I say, smiling
“Why is she asking me about Matt? I don’t know what to say to her.” He sets his bag on the wall next to me.
“Why? Is he avoiding her?”
Evan rubs his nose. “Maybe. Probably. I’ll get him to call her.”
My heart sinks for Abby. Over the last couple of days, I’ve tried telling her she’s a month into her life at university and the likelihood of finding a lasting relationship is slim. God knows why she wants to get involved with someone. But Abby falls hard, each time a guy enters her world. Clings on without realizing guys don’t like girls who do. I knew Matt was the kind of guy who wouldn’t be permanent, but I gave up telling her these things years ago.
“Abby’s upset. It’s pretty rude of him not to return her calls. He should man up and tell her if he doesn’t want to see her and stop ignoring her.”
Evan frowns at me. “Abby told me that you think I’m ignoring you.”
What the hell ? “I never said that! Why would I say that?”
“I thought it sounded strange.”
And that’s all he has to say. The kiss isn’t going to get a mention, obviously.
“Where is she now?” I look behind him towards the door. “I have a shift this afternoon and need to go. So if she needs consoling she’d better get over here.”
“Won’t keep you then.” He smiles and his eyes brighten for the first time since our conversation began. Was he worried I’d lay into him about our encounter?
“Did you sort it out?” I ask.
“What?”
“The problem the other night. The phone calls that sent you running.”
The brightness leaves his eyes. “Yeah.”
He’s lying. I want him to acknowledge he kissed me. But more than the acknowledgement, I want him to ask me to see him again. I mentally kick myself, I’m as bad as Abby. I should be grateful of a lucky escape, because my hormones were sending me straight to bed with him.
Evan doesn’t elaborate, the evening forgotten. Of course, what’s a kiss to Evan anyway?
“Cool. Well. See you around I guess. If Matt’s out of the picture, I guess the whole lot of you will be keeping away from the house too,” I say more cheerfully than I feel.
“Yeah, no more strange men in your bed.”
“Or dodgy guys quoting poetry at me when I’m trying to go to sleep.”
We both smile and something tears inside me. I like talking to him; he’s smart and intriguing. And I want to do more than kiss him. In my head, I jump back to the memory of his mouth on mine, and the incredible physical sensation that poured into me from his lips. I know I’d be one in a long line, but if his kissing is anything to go by, sex with Evan would be incredible.
And now I’m disgusted with myself.
We part and I hurry off to find Abby.
Chapter 10
NESS
The quiet evenings - and uninterrupted sleep - improve my
“Ness…” He crosses his arms over his chest, looking at me uncertainly. “I didn’t expect to find you on campus.”
“I’m keeping an eye on Abby.”
The look he gives me holds disbelief. Surely he doesn’t think I’m here because of him.
“I’m not stalking you,” I say to him, “I’m with Abby.”
Abby did a pretty good stalking job though. Unable to contact Matt, she set about finding Evan. Her ingenuity astounds me; her motivation worries me.
“Yeah, she found me.”
“Lucky you,” I say, smiling
“Why is she asking me about Matt? I don’t know what to say to her.” He sets his bag on the wall next to me.
“Why? Is he avoiding her?”
Evan rubs his nose. “Maybe. Probably. I’ll get him to call her.”
My heart sinks for Abby. Over the last couple of days, I’ve tried telling her she’s a month into her life at university and the likelihood of finding a lasting relationship is slim. God knows why she wants to get involved with someone. But Abby falls hard, each time a guy enters her world. Clings on without realizing guys don’t like girls who do. I knew Matt was the kind of guy who wouldn’t be permanent, but I gave up telling her these things years ago.
“Abby’s upset. It’s pretty rude of him not to return her calls. He should man up and tell her if he doesn’t want to see her and stop ignoring her.”
Evan frowns at me. “Abby told me that you think I’m ignoring you.”
What the hell ? “I never said that! Why would I say that?”
“I thought it sounded strange.”
And that’s all he has to say. The kiss isn’t going to get a mention, obviously.
“Where is she now?” I look behind him towards the door. “I have a shift this afternoon and need to go. So if she needs consoling she’d better get over here.”
“Won’t keep you then.” He smiles and his eyes brighten for the first time since our conversation began. Was he worried I’d lay into him about our encounter?
“Did you sort it out?” I ask.
“What?”
“The problem the other night. The phone calls that sent you running.”
The brightness leaves his eyes. “Yeah.”
He’s lying. I want him to acknowledge he kissed me. But more than the acknowledgement, I want him to ask me to see him again. I mentally kick myself, I’m as bad as Abby. I should be grateful of a lucky escape, because my hormones were sending me straight to bed with him.
Evan doesn’t elaborate, the evening forgotten. Of course, what’s a kiss to Evan anyway?
“Cool. Well. See you around I guess. If Matt’s out of the picture, I guess the whole lot of you will be keeping away from the house too,” I say more cheerfully than I feel.
“Yeah, no more strange men in your bed.”
“Or dodgy guys quoting poetry at me when I’m trying to go to sleep.”
We both smile and something tears inside me. I like talking to him; he’s smart and intriguing. And I want to do more than kiss him. In my head, I jump back to the memory of his mouth on mine, and the incredible physical sensation that poured into me from his lips. I know I’d be one in a long line, but if his kissing is anything to go by, sex with Evan would be incredible.
And now I’m disgusted with myself.
We part and I hurry off to find Abby.
Chapter 10
NESS
The quiet evenings - and uninterrupted sleep - improve my
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