Me do all the work? I don’t think so. I finally look up at him to see his blue eyes sparkle with mischief. He’s enjoying this entirely too much. “I’m not working with you.” Why would he think I would even consider it? Clay Mitchell has been making my life miserable since I was fourteen. I’m not tempted in the least to work alongside him. There has to be something I can do. “I’ll talk to Professor George after class and explain the situation to him. I’m sure he’ll work with us.” I sound a hundred times more confident than I am, but surely he’ll understand. He won’t force us to work together, right?

Clay laughs outright, clearly enjoying my discomfort, and I worry he’ll tell the professor he’s fine working with me just to make me uncomfortable. Jerk. I look away, unable to meet his laughing eyes, not wanting him to see just how much his presence is affecting me. I feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin, I’m sitting stiff in my seat and trying my damnedest not to react to him. It’s just so hard. With Clay, it’s like he just knows exactly what to do or say to push every single button I have. My sister Anna thinks it’s hilarious, but, she would. She’s like the female equivalent to Max’s big brother. Loud, crass, and unapologetic.

The rest of class passes uneventfully and as soon as everyone begins to file out of the room, I pack up my stuff and head to the front where Professor George gathers papers and mutters to himself. Close up he looks even more odd than he did from the back of the room. He doesn’t notice me when I walk up beside him, and when I call his name, he jumps visibly. Clay snickers from behind me, and I close my eyes in frustration. I was hoping he would just leave like everyone else. It’s after four, so surely he has something better to do.

“Yes?” Professor George asks, looking between the two of us curiously. “What can I help you with?” He pauses and looks over at me expectantly.

I realize he’s waiting for me to give my name, but before I can, Clay speaks up. “Clay Mitchell,” he says, holding out a hand for the teacher to shake before gesturing to me. “And this is Katrina Fletcher.” My mouth drops open. I didn’t even realize he paid enough attention to know my last name. God knows he’s never used it.

“Professor George,” I start again, but he cuts me off with a smile.

“Call me Charlie, dear.”

I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from rolling my eyes at the condescending tone. He sounds like a grandfather instead of the not-much-older-than-his-class professor. “Right. Charlie. Well, Charlie, I know it’s only the first day of class and I don’t want to ask for any special treatment, but I need …” the last few words are rushed out “to change my partner for the project.” I mentally sigh in relief that I got them out without Clay interrupting, but he’s just grinning beside me, not a care in the world.

“Oh,” Professor George looks like he’s trying to figure out what to say. “Unfortunately, if I make an exception for you, I’ll have to make exceptions for everyone else as well. I just don’t have that kind of time. There would have to be an extremely good reason for requesting a change.” He looks at me expectantly. I know I don’t have a decent excuse. Saying I don’t want to partner with a lazy manwhore who will make me do ninety percent of the work isn’t going to be enough. I’m going to be stuck working with Clay all semester.

Stepping in front of me, Clay lowers his voice like he’s trying to save me from embarrassment and interrupts. “You see, sir,” he starts, his tone perfectly respectful, something I’ve never heard before. “Kat here has an enormous crush on me, and she’s just not sure she can handle us working so closely together without acting on her feelings.” He chuckles, and the professor laughs with him, but his laugh is far from comfortable. He almost sounds like he’s choking.

I literally see red, but I can’t act on my rage with the teacher here. No witnesses and all that. I couldn’t even if I wanted to because Professor George is responding and I have to step closer to hear him, so close I’m almost touching Clay’s back. “Yes, well, I see.” He won’t meet my eyes at all now.

Stepping forward and raising my voice so my point is clear, I add, “You know what, Professor, err, Charlie? I think Clay and I will be just fine. Don’t worry about it.” I smile at him, and he looks at my lips, not in a creepy, teacher/student romance novel way, but in an “I don’t want to embarrass her by looking her in the eye” way. Clay’s back stiffens as my smile widens. He doesn’t want to work with me any more than I want to work with him. He just doesn’t want to admit it. Bastard.

The professor looks back and forth between us, not sure what to say. I can tell he’s thinking, do I let them work together? Or, should I switch partners just in case? Clay clears his throat before agreeing with me. His voice is rough, like it hasn’t been used in a while, but he steps back so he’s beside me again and when he looks over at me, his eyes are full of all sorts of promises I don’t want to think about. This is so not going to end well.

“Okay, if you’re both sure,” Professor George says. “But,” he cautions, “I won’t give you another chance to change partners. It’s like marriage. Speak now or forever hold your peace. Once the project starts you won’t be able to switch.” We both nod and say we understand, but what I really want is to change my answer. I can’t though. I won’t give Clay that kind of satisfaction.

The professor turns away from us to finish packing his things, dismissing us both easily. Clay gestures for me to walk in front of him, and I’m almost afraid to. I wouldn’t put it past him to act like a twelve-year-old and put a “kick me” sign on my back. Although, with him, it would probably say something like “will give blowjobs for spare change” or “closet lesbian.” His sense of humor leaves a lot to be desired.

I walk fast, making sure I stay far enough ahead of him that he has no chance to touch me or smack one of the aforementioned signs on my back and almost trip down the steps leaving the building to look for Max. He doesn’t have a late class on Mondays, so he said he’d pick me up and we could go get dinner after my class. I wonder briefly if he knew his brother was going to be in my class, but dismiss the idea. If Max had known, he would have warned me.

When I get to the curb, Max is nowhere to be found. I pull my phone out of my pocket, but there are no texts, no missed calls, not even a chat message from him. Where is he? I know I’m not out here too early, especially after talking to Professor George. He should already be here. I look up and down the driveway between the building and the parking area where there are plenty of cars parked waiting for or dropping people off, but Max’s bright-orange Camaro isn’t among them. Surely, he didn’t forget me.

After a quick call that he doesn’t answer, I resign myself to the fact I’m going to have to walk back to my dorm and either get Becca to take me to his apartment or wait for him to realize he didn’t pick me up and come groveling for forgiveness. I smile a little at that thought, because he’ll feel awful and I’ll get a free dinner out of the deal, so it’s not all bad.

“Little brother forgot about you?” Hearing his voice again makes me grit my teeth in annoyance. I stare straight ahead, shoving my phone back into my pocket and crossing my arms over my chest. I refuse to give him any attention after what just happened. When he realizes I’m not going to respond, he sighs. “C’mon, let me give you a ride. Max probably just fell asleep or something.”

He reaches for my elbow, and I jerk out of his reach. “No, that’s okay. I’ll just go back to my room and wait for him. He’ll probably be there by the time I get there.”

Clay makes a noise in his throat, but I’m not sure if he’s agreeing with me or not. “Or, you could just come with me and yell at him sooner.” “You know you want to,” he continues to cajole me. “Just think how bad he’s going to feel knowing you had to bum a ride from me. When you finally forgive him, he’ll be ready to promise you anything. Hell, that assmunch will probably give you his car if you want it.” He bumps shoulders with me, a hopeful grin on his face.

I can’t stop the answering grin that crosses mine. “Please, like anyone would want the Great Pumpkin.” My face flames as soon as the words leave my mouth. I clap my hands over it like it’s enough to bring them back, but it’s too late. Ohmigod! I’ve never told anyone my secret name for Max’s car. He’s going to kill me if he finds out.

Clay doubles over laughing, muttering, “Great Pumpkin. Holy shit, that’s funny. Great Pumpkin!” I’ve never seen him laugh so hard. He’s almost in tears. Once he calms himself down, he looks over at me, a huge smile on his face. “That’s classic. I can’t wait to see his face when I tell him what you call his precious baby.”

“No!” I shriek, dropping my hands from my mouth and holding them out towards him. “Clay. Seriously. You can’t tell him! He’d be so mad. You have to promise. Please! I’ll do anything!” Shit! I didn’t mean to say that.

Clay looks over at me, his grin even wider. I didn’t think it could get bigger than it already was. “Anything? Hmm, that could be interesting.”

He looks like he’s considering his options, so I hurry to clarify, “Anything that isn’t sexual, illegal or immoral.” Clay’s face falls, and swear to God, he pouts.

“Well, you’re no fun.”

I roll my eyes. “No, I’m just not stupid and I don’t want to end up expelled or in jail or the health clinic because you gave me the Clap.”

“The Clap?!” Clay puts a hand over his heart, gasping like he’s wounded. “I can’t believe you’d think that of me, Kitty Kat. I always, always wrap my guy. No STD’s here.” He runs his hand down his stomach, resting it on the button of his jeans as he leers at me. “Don’t be shy, little kitten. If you want to see, you just have to ask.”

Cringing away from him, I make a gagging sound. “You’re such a pig. I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last guy on Earth, and it was up to us to procreate.”

Clay laughs loudly. “Never say never, sweetheart.” Shaking his head, he starts to walk away. “Let’s go, time’s a-wastin’.”

Against my better judgment, I follow him to his car. At the beginning of his senior year, Clay’s parents bought him a sleek black car. Since then, he’s added blue racing stripes and fancy chrome wheels. Acting surprisingly like a gentleman, he reaches around me to open the passenger door, shutting it behind me before walking around the rear to get in himself. As soon as the car starts, it’s obvious the stripes aren’t the only addition. With a sheepish look, he turns down the blaring radio quieting the thumping baseline somewhat, though I can still feel the vibrations through the seat.

“Sorry,” he says with a shrug. “I like my music like I like my women—loud.” He winks, and I don’t know what to do with a Clay who’s not just a vulgar jerk. He’s making jokes and I want to laugh. It’s a new side of him, one I actually like, and I don’t know how to reconcile it with the Clay who makes me want to commit murder on an hourly basis. I can’t help but stare at him as he turns the radio up just a little before he puts the car in gear and takes off. We head for the apartment he shares with Max and Emmett, silent but for the curse-filled rap music playing too loudly to encourage more talking.