Page 7 (1/2)

Besides Debbie, she was probably my only friend I didn’t count Avery because she was ht before I left for school that so friendships started her first year in college

I didn’t think that was going to happen for ether since ere five, hadn’t lasted

"You started li by the time we reached the football field," she added

Sweat causedthem up, I smiled at her Short and curvy, Calla Fritz reirls who’d dance burlesque andit

But, like me, Calla was far from perfect

A raised scar covered her left cheek, from the corner of her lips to her ear With ot it and I didn’t ask I figured it would be so she’d ­volunteer

"I always li was i my kneecap I would’ve preferred to hide it, but I couldn’t stand the heat of late August "And I need the exercise"

She snorted "What the hell ever, er"

"Have you seen ers up close and personal And it’s on speaking terhs hed as we entered the tunnel that connected the two sides of the ca, it was a good twenty degrees cooler

"I wonder if anyone would notice if I just lay down in the ht there with you"

Calla spent the rest of our trip bitching about the fact that she--­a nursing major--­had to take h class, but not theOur professor really didn’t apply himself After all, almost everyone in the classrooe It was like high school with little to no parental influence We still had to take classes we didn’t want to take, except we actually had to pay for them, which really kind of sucked ass

The auditoriu halfway down the aisle, I sed the groan of relief when I sat My knee i at the fine sheen of sweat dottinga sweaty mess for class I was so ready for fall

"Wakedown in her seat She kept her sunglasses on "Because then I’ll feel like I atterinned "Will do"

As the class filed in, I started thu for the section I’d been taking notes in last week I didn’t realize anyone was heading for the unoccupied seat to lanced over and antly in the seat beside s bent and both arms draped lazily over the back of the seats Dressed in faded jeans and a shirt, he looked like he had every right to be there, especially with his backpack resting against one of his legs

Except I couldn’t figure out why he was here

A funny little half slanced around, ht class Beside lasses I was in the right place "Hi"

The smile spread about an inch "You look surprised"

"I a here?"

He tapped a long finger off his notebook "Had awith my adviser last week to make sure I had all my credits Turned out I still needed music appreciation, and this was the only class that wasn’t full So I did a late add"

Jase paused as his gaze slowly drifted over my face His body was the epito level of quiet intensity in his stare "I was actually sitting in front of you You didn’t see me, but I saw you"

There was no way that Jase knewto do with ht visit on Saturday I totally knew that, but that knowledge did nothing to stop the bubbling of hope and excitement "Well, that’sum, that’s cool"

The other side of Jase’s lips tipped up

My cheeks heated as I hastily looked away Okay I could handle this Jase and I had talked things over We were cool Everything was cool We were friends And the things he’d said and how he’d felt on top of ht didn’tto that, because considering anything else was sure to bring on a world of hurting

I peeked at hiaze was still fixed onwas stretched out, and the way I held th of the scar covering my knee I felt the burn in

"The class is really boring," Calla announced, shoving her hand over and drawing his attention away "I’m Calla, by the way"

He reached over with his left araze flickered across her face His stare did not linger on her scar, and for that, he got bonus points when it came to co back "I know you Well, I don’t know you I’ve heard of you"

A faint pink stained the tops of his broad cheeks Was he blushing? "You have?" he asked

She nodded and a private, al smile formed on her lips "I think every female on this campus has heard of you"

I rolled my eyes

He chuckled "Ah, I see"

"You do?" I arched a brow

Focusing on the front of the auditorium as the professor strode in, Jase bit down on his lower lip There was soe way, also sensual The e of hi down on led as a reh my veins at the et laid or so

"Some would say I’m quite popular" he remarked finally

"With the ladies?" I supplied as I pulled a pen out of

Thick lashes lowered as he sent me a sideways look "Maybe"

"Definitely," Calla rinned as Jase shifted in his seat He was unco his oh-­so-­stellar reputation?