Chapter Two

JAY

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I walked into my second human development class and my eyes instantly went to the right side of the room. There was Paige, sitting in the same seat as last class.

As I started toward her I saw her glance up from her computer, and as her eyes locked on mine she blushed and grinned.

That simple smile, like she was happy to see me, sent another one of those weird flutters through me and I tried to shake it off as I made my way over to her.

“Creature of habit, or did you enjoy sitting here last class?” I asked as I slid into the seat next to her.

“A little bit of both.” She flushed and smiled at me.

I liked that she was teasing back a bit. There was nothing better than a little flirty back and forth with a hot girl.

“I see your shirt seems to have survived the day.” I nodded to her chest and she laughed.

“Yeah, that wasn’t one of my better Mondays.”

“Food fight?”

“Rogue mustard packet.”

“I hate it when that happens.”

She laughed again and opened her mouth to say something, and that’s when the prof decided to start the lecture.

We both turned to our laptops and started taking notes.

I think I’m going to make a habit of sitting here, every class.

I waited until she looked at my typed message and then glanced at her screen as she grinned teasingly.

What, you get good vibes from the chair?

It’s not the chair I’m enjoying ;)

Really, and what’s so great about that seat?

The acoustics are amazing.

I heard her snicker and bit back a grin as she shook her head and started typing again.

Lol. True. They are pretty great.

I think I’m going to have to start recording this class.

And why is that?

I get distracted easily ;)

I’m a really good multitasker. I can help you pick up what you miss :)

I was about to type something a little dirty and suggestive when the lights in the room dimmed and the overhead screen lowered. It looked like we were going to be looking at slides.

To be continued...

I winked covertly at her and erased my side of our conversation as I looked up at the first slide. As much as I wanted to keep talking to Paige I had a scholarship to maintain and really did need to pay attention.

* * * * *

When class was over and we were packing up our things I glanced at Paige.

“Last class today?”

“It is.” She grinned as she looked over at me. “Yours?”

“It is. Want to be class buddies?”

“Like friends?”

“That too.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “But I was talking about the person you let know when you have to miss class so you can share notes and handouts.”

“Oh, sure.”

“Here, put your number in.” I unlocked my phone and handed it to her.

She took it with a slight blush and quickly programmed her number in it. When I took it back I opened her info and sent her a quick text.

“There, now you have my number too.” I slid my phone back in my pocket and picked up my bag.

“Well, I guess it’s official. We’re now buddies.”

“The numbers don’t lie.”

She giggled at my corny joke and we both stood up.

Paige was petite alright. She was nearly a foot shorter than me and while she was wearing a relatively modest outfit of a long shirt with a pair of leggings, she was hot. Her breasts were a little small but that didn’t really matter to me since I was an ass man through and through, and I could tell hers was tight and firm and high. Her legs were shapely and slender, and while she seemed to carry a bit of extra weight around her middle it looked good on her and gave her a very feminine shape.

“You want to grab coffee or something?”

“Really?” She looked surprised by my offer. “I mean yeah. Sure.”

“Great, how about The Co-Op?”

“Sounds good, it’s actually on the way to my apartment.”

“Mine too.”

“Well then, looks like it’s convenient for both of us.”

I had to admit I liked this more assertive version of her. The shy and slightly frazzled girl I’d met on Monday had been cute, but the more outgoing and open Paige was downright sexy.

“After you.” I nodded to the stairs that lead to the door of the classroom.

“A gentleman, be still my heart,” she drawled teasingly and I laughed as she went down the stairs first.

It was true I was letting her go first to be nice, but I was also doing it so I could check out her ass as she walked ahead of me. Like I said, my mind didn’t always stay in a clean place around her.

We walked over to The Co-Op together and I was a little surprised at how easily conversation came. We weren’t flirting, not really, and that was usually how I interacted with women.

We talked about trivial things, and I was happy to see she didn’t mind my corny and slightly weird sense of humor. She laughed at things most chicks rolled their eyes at and she played along with my teasing.

“What do you drink?” I asked when we were standing in line. It was Wednesday afternoon and surprisingly there weren’t that many students around. Normally the place was packed and you’d be lucky to find a seat. It seemed we’d lucked out on timing.

“Coffee is always good,” she joked and I laughed.

“Very true. Let’s see if I can guess your order.” I looked her up and down, letting my eyes linger on her ass just so she knew I liked what I saw. When I reached her eyes she was blushing softly, but holding my gaze.

“So, what do I like?”

“You’re definitely a sweet kind of girl, but I think you like a little bit of spice.” I grinned as she blushed a little deeper. “I’m going to say a vanilla latte, whole milk, with a dash of cinnamon.”

Her jaw dropped as she stared at me. “How in the world did you ever guess that?”

“I’m pretty good at reading people.” I smirked at her dumbfounded expression. “Why don’t you see if you can read me?”

“Okay, Mr. Soothsayer.” She grinned and gave me the same treatment I’d given her, only her eyes lingered on my arms, specifically on my tattoos. “I’m going to say you like it hot and bitter, and strong. Americano, black, with an extra shot of espresso?”

“Not bad.” I grinned. “That’s definitely one of my regulars.”

She grinned and brushed her wheat blonde hair back off her shoulders. “So what’s your other regular?”

“Caramel latte, extra caramel.”

“So you like it sweet too?”

“Sometimes.” I swept my eyes up her body again, but this time she didn’t blush and I felt another one of those damn flutters.

What the fuck was going on with me? I never reacted like this to anyone, and we weren’t even flirting, not really. We were teasing, sure, but she hadn’t even seen my A-game.

“So, were you wanting sweet or strong today?”

“I think I’m feeling a little of both.” I grinned. “You tell me, do I want sweet or strong?”

“I think you want sweet with a touch of spice.” She glanced at me as we moved up to the front of the line.

“Sounds perfect.” I bit my lip, just then remembering I’d taken out my lip ring and couldn’t play with it like I usually did, and pulled out my wallet. “Two medium vanilla lattes, whole milk, with cinnamon,” I ordered.

“You don’t have to buy mine.”

“I want to.” I turned to her, a little confused by her expression. She looked apprehensive and unsure of herself all of a sudden. “You can pick them up next time.”

“Deal.” She nodded and her happy expression was back. That had been a little weird.

When our drinks were paid for we took them over to a booth by the window and slid in.

“So, what are you studying?” I asked as I pulled the lid off my latte and blew on it. I couldn’t help but notice how Paige’s eyes stayed glued to my lips for a moment and I grinned.

“Journalism.” She looked up and blushed again. “I’m going to law school after this,” she added.

“Wow.” I took a sip of my drink. It was actually really good, I’d have to add it to my rotation. “What kind of law do you want to study?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I haven’t figured that out yet. What’s your major?”

“Engineering.”

“Nice.” She grinned. “What kind?”

“Civil.”

“So what’s a future engineer doing in a psych class?”

“I took intro to psych as my social science elective and enjoyed it. I thought why not take another. What about you?”

“Same. I took intro to psych last year and loved it. I’m thinking of filling all my electives with psych classes.”

“Why don’t you go into psych, doesn’t any degree work to get into law school?”

“Yeah, as long as you keep your grades up and ace the LSAT.” She shrugged and played with the rim of her cup. “My guidance counsellor told me psych is good if you’re looking to get into criminal law, it helps you understand the way people’s minds work and why they might do something, but journalism gives you an edge.”

“Do you like writing?”

“Honestly, not really.” She took a sip of her drink. “I like to read, but I don’t really enjoy writing articles and researching subjects. But it’s what’ll get me into law school so I didn’t really see a choice.”

“You’d rather take four years of something you don’t really enjoy just to have an edge? You must really want to be a lawyer.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked, her blue eyes wide and open as she looked at me.

“Of course.”

“I never actually decided to be a lawyer. It was kind of decided for me and my entire life was planned out when I was just a kid.”

I stared at her for a moment. “Do you want to be lawyer?”

“I guess. I mean, it’s what I’ve always planned on doing.”

“Did you parents decide for you?”

She paused and looked into her cup.

“Tell me another secret.”

She looked up and bit her lip. “My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but the sight of blood makes me feel faint. When that plan was scrapped they chose law. They spent my entire life grooming me for it, pushing me and making all my decisions for me. I’ve just kind of gone along with it because I don’t want to disappoint them.”

“That has to be tough.”

“It is.” She nodded. “Wow. I’ve just told you more than I’ve ever told anyone, other than Jules.”

“Jules?”

“My roommate and best friend. She’s the only other person I’ve told that to.”

“Ask me to tell you a secret.”

“Tell me a secret?” She wrapped her hands around the base of her cup and looked at me expectantly.

“I’ve never had a female friend.”

“What?”

“Saying this out loud is going to make me sound like a total dick and probably send you running, but I’ve never had a female friend. I have chicks that I’ve fucked, ones I’ve tried to fuck and nothing in between.” I sighed, not sure why I was telling her this. Maybe it was so she knew exactly what kind of guy I was, or maybe because I didn’t want to be that way anymore.

“When you were with these girls, did you tell them that’s what they were getting from you? Sex with nothing more?”

“Yes.” That was true. I’d always been honest with my hookups and given them the chance to decide if that was what they wanted too.

“Then you’re not a dick. A dick would be the guy who promises girls the moon and does everything he can to get in their pants. If you’re honest and you let them choose your terms or not then you’re just a guy who enjoys sex.”

“You really think so?”

“I do. Tell me another secret.”

“I think you’re going to be my first female friend.”

She flushed and took a sip of her drink. “Just a friend?”

“I’m not going to lie, there will be flirting.” I grinned. “You’re hot, I’m not going to pretend I don’t see it, but I’m not going to lie and tell you what I think you want to hear just to get in your pants.”

“Well, that’s good. Because I have another secret.”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t have casual sex.”

“Never?”

“Never.” She grinned but her eyes were a little haunted as she sipped her drink again. “So flirting is fine because we’ll both be on the same page.”

I held my drink out to her and the haunted look in her eyes fell away as she tapped her cup against mine.

“To friends,” I quipped, smiling when she chuckled. “May the flirting be hot and the friendship be long.”

“Hear hear.” She shook her head and took a big gulp of her coffee, her eyes on mine as I did the same.

I had no idea what the fuck I was doing, but I knew Paige was different. It would be a lie to say I hadn’t spent half of last night thinking about her. I’d imagined how her lips would taste, how her firm ass would feel in my hands and how she would moan and cry out if I had the chance to bury my cock deep inside her.

I wanted her, fuck I wanted her, but I didn’t just want to sleep with her. I didn’t know how this whole ‘friend who’s a girl’ thing would work out, but if there was ever a girl I’d want to try it with, Paige was that girl.