The one thing that pissed me off more when I was already pissed off was when the person I was supposed to be pissed off with wasn't as pissed off as me. "You can take a picture of me if you like," he said easily, opening his blue eyes, and catching me looking at him. "Or you can drive me to my destination." "I'll drive you to your final destination, all right." He replied by closing his eyes and laughing softly. I gritted my teeth and stepped on the gas. I was painfully aware of him, sleeping lightly beside me. He crossed his arms across his overdeveloped chest. Probably protecting his stone cold heart from the ancient cursed dagger that I wanted to bury in there. But I couldn't resist glancing at him. He was like a wild black panther in the jungle. Too beautiful to ignore. Sleek and dangerous. Even when he looked relaxed, there was an edge to him that kept my gaze coming back. I released a sigh of relief when I saw the campus sign. "I'm parking on the street," I said. "I can't afford to pay the campus parking." He shifted his wide frame, adjusting his seat so he could sit up straight. The top of his head grazed the roof of the car. "I got it," he said. "Just drive us to school." "What do you mean you got it? You're paying for parking?" He shrugged. "Do you know how much parking is on this campus?" I asked. It cost a fortune. "I don't want to walk a couple of blocks just to go to school," he drawled. I threw him a quick glance from top to bottom. If he was this lazy, where did he get all those muscles from? They must be silicone. That was why they felt big and hard. They didn't... feel silicone though. They felt real and warm and good. "Fine," I croaked, erasing the memories that started to bombard my head. "It's your money." I had no problem if he wanted to waste that much money for parking. He could pay for the gas too. "I'll pay for gas, too," he said. I stopped at a red light. Did he read minds now too? "But you should know this'll cost you," he added. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Cost me what?" "Your schedule." He didn't give up, did he? "I told you I'm not giving you my schedule." "Want me to come up with something else?" he purred. I felt him shift in his seat, his body turning toward me. "I got some ideas." My face felt hot. I could feel his blue eyes roaming every part of my body. Why did it always turn sexual around him? Some guys just seemed lame and gross when they tried, but with him... it felt as if I was playing with a master. And the worst of it was, it bothered me... in a good way. Ignoring him, I put my signal on, preparing to turn left at another traffic light to the campus street. It looked deserted, light fog and rain covering the grounds. "Let me get this straight," he started. "I brought my motorcycle to your shop. Like you asked. I'm not getting my accessories. In exchange for your services," he pointed out. "I'm coughing up the fee for parking and gas, but you won't give me your schedule. Does that seem fair to you?" Why did he have to be reasonable? I let out a sigh. "Fine," I said. I gave him my weekday schedule I memorized in my head. "Weekends are tricky. I work at the coffee shop from one to five in the afternoon, but I'm always on call for night shifts at the nursing home. Weekdays too, but they don't usually call." I threw him a look when he didn't say anything. I sighed. "Look, I can still drive you. If I can't, Dylan will." "The deal was that you'll be giving me the ride. Not your brother." Before I could say anything, he added, "My schedule's more flexible. I'll work around yours. If I need a ride, I'll borrow your car to get around and I'll come pick you up from work." I shifted in my seat. That seemed too... personal. "How much do you get paid?" he asked, straight as you please. I didn't think we were close enough for him to ask me that question. I glared at him. "Why do you want to know?" "I don't think you're getting paid that much at the coffee shop. Are you?" "At least I work. Do you?" "I'm only a part-time student, but I need you to pick me up and drop me off to work." I snorted out a laugh. "You work?" "I have my own business. I flip houses. And helped out a friend now and then with his." That put me in my place. "Oh." Hence the god body and the hard hands. I glanced at him quickly when he wasn't looking. He owned a business? Looks could be deceiving, I thought. He looked like someone who bossed around people to wash his underwear. I turned my right signal, pulling to a spot on the campus parking lot. I put the gear in park, turned off the ignition. "You should take care of yourself," he said softly. "You're working yourself sick. You don't even have a day off." "I don't need you to—" "Just an observation. Your eyes were really tired this morning." I held my breath as he leaned close to me. I could see worlds in his eyes. Hundreds of galaxies in different shades of blue. "I'm going to kiss you now," he whispered. And then he did. I closed my eyes, my breath hitching as his lips touched mine. It was only a meeting of lips, barely. So soft, so swift it was over even before I could blink. "I'll see you later," he murmured, brushing my bottom lip with his thumb. "Kara." *** My heart was still beating a crazy drum by the time I reached my lecture hall. I chose a seat from the back, sitting behind a tall guy so I could hide. Just in case I needed to take a quick nap. Although at the rate my heart was skipping beats, I'd be awake till Christmas. He was a master manipulator of my senses, I realized as I caught myself touching my bottom lip. Trying to recreate the way he brushed his thumb over it. Trying to remember the feeling of his kiss a few minutes ago in my car. The kiss that wasn't really a kiss. It was so different from... our first one. But not less powerful. Not at all. I looked around the hall, checking if someone had read my thoughts or could read my face. Most of the students were listening to the professor standing on the podium, his hands looking animated as he explained something to the class. "What does it take from you to accept kindness? Or do you just really not trust me?" Maybe he was right. I was too harsh on him. I shouldn't have responded that way. There was something about him that activated my bitchy side mode. Maybe because I knew he could take it. He wouldn't be put off by it. Or was I trying to put him off by it? Testing to see how long he could go until he gave up and left? Because the truth was I liked him. I liked him. And I didn't want to.