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I nod and give hio pitter-patter and I try to ignore it This crush I have onstudent is so not appropriate

Owen entwines our fingers and leadsat the door at the very end He pushes it open and glances around, probably checking to see if anyone’s in there, and then he’s walking inside, leavingrip, I look around, trying to take it all in while Owen goes in search of his keys His walls are blank The furniture is nondescript though the bed iselse I take a step back froht to his bedrooh No way do I want to think about that number

I’m all alone with Owen in his bedroom If I were bolder, I’d try to make a move It’s the perfect opportunity to at least try and kiss hih I have no idea if he’d be responsive I don’t think he’s that intonice Probably felt sorry for his poor tutor when he saw her getting harassed out in front of his workplace

"Shit," he gruh a pile of clothes that sit on an overstuffed chair "I always lose irl and I always offer help to soht now, I so would

"I’ood They’re probably in a pocket in my jeans That’s where I usually find them"

I go to his dresser and check it out There’s a mirror, a jar full of quarters, and a shallow dish full of hter, a discarded, faded dollar bill, and a picture in a frame I pick it up and study it It’s a photo of a really pretty girl with blond hair and the sa dress and s around Owen’s shoulders He’s also looking at the cauy who I can only assu at the bride like she’s thehe’s ever seen

It’s a wonderful photo, full of love and joy I can only assuirl is Owen’s sister, since they share a lot of the sauely faht behind me; I didn’t even hear him approach, and I carefully set the fraot caught snooping

"He looks fa so close I can feel his body heat, and h I don’t have any control

Which I don’t

"He’s Drew Callahan"

Oh I blink up at Owen A living legend around these parts, people still talk about Drew Callahan, especially now that he’s gone on to play for the NFL Which means …

"Seriously? Your brother-in-law is a professional football player?" My jaw drops

"Yeah I thought you knew Everyone knows"

"I didn’t" I tilthi influence, yeah"

"How about your dad? Does he like football?"

Owen goes stiff all over, his expression eerily blank, as are his eyes "I don’t knohat that asole likes I have no idea where he is"

"Oh" I should never have asked My parents are a sensitive subject, too I don’t like talking aboutyou’re close to your sister?"

"Fable? Yeah, she practically raised me" The blankness disappears, replaced with a warm fondness that shows just how much she matters to hiht war a baby in his arms makes me feel all shivery

"Yeah She’s cute" He holds up his car keys "Found theo?"

Disappointment crashes over o back out there and have a couple of drinks Get a little buzzed Maybe even "sh it sounds like it could be fun And after I get a little high and get a little drunk,you back in here and lock the door so I can kiss you Fall into your arms, feel your hands press all over ue to answer hiuy who’s al in the doorway on wobbly feet "You do have a girl in your roo shocked as he rocks back on his heels "Shit, I owe that asole Des twenty bucks"

"Get the fk out of here," Owen says, though he doesn’t sound that angry "We were just leaving, so you can tell Des nothing happened You don’t owe hio, Chels?"

I like that he just called me Chels No one does I have no cutesy nicknames and I alished I had

"Don’t tellover his own feet until he’s standing just in front of me "You are, aren’t you? The tutor? I re at hter

"Um …" I don’t know if I should be honest or not I’m not a liar like my dad, so I prefer to stick to the truth And I re with Des "Yes, I aot her into your roorins "I’ to be et out of my room," Owen says, his voice low and rumbly and sexy as can be What sort of sick perv does that rowly?

I should be mad He talked about me to his friends--most likely in a lewd and inappropriate way More than anything, I should be offended This means he doesn’t take me seriously

Instead, I’m thrilled That he actually talked about me beyond the "I have a tutor and I don’t want to see her" realh , Wade stumbles back out much the way he caone, I turn to Owen

"How does he know about uely uncomfortable, so I push for more

"Did you talk about me to hi a tutor" He shrugs, going for nonchalance, but I don’t believe hi

"So ould he say that you worked quick and that you’re sly? What’s that all about?" I feel like a dog with a bone, but I have to find out what he ht have said

"You don’t want to know," he"I definitely want to know"