Dirty English

He shrugged. “I’ve got a plan. Always. But enough of that.” He sent me a serious look, his eyes roaming over my face as if he were devouring it. “I’m sorry about Nadia showing up at the diner … and then we didn’t really get to finish talking about everything.”

“About having sex and how great it was?” I inhaled.

He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. Wanna meet tonight?”

“I get off work at seven.”

“Hey guys!” Nadia waved, a bright smile on her face as she said excuse me’s and cut in front of several students so she could be directly behind us. “Are you having lunch too?”

What the hell. She was like a tick you couldn’t get off a dog.

And this whole showing up everywhere we were? Not cool.

She smiled. “So happy I saw you! I wanted to tell you good luck on your jewelry interview.”

I blinked. How fake could she be? I’d just told her how annoying she was the last time I saw her.

She bobbed her blond hair. “Oh, don’t look so surprised. Declan told me all about it. Do you make rings? I’d love to see them sometime.” She flashed her right hand where a huge diamond rested. “Daddy gave me this one on my eighteenth birthday, but I’d love something more quaint.”

I looked at Declan. “You tell everything you know?” I left asshole off.

He frowned. “We were talking at the diner—after you so abruptly left—and I happened to mention why we were at Minnie’s to begin with—”

“Oh no. Did I say something wrong?” Nadia said, biting her lip and batting her lashes. “Please don’t misunderstand. It’s just Declan and I have a deep friendship. We will talk even if we don’t date anymore. I hope that doesn’t bother you. Oh, but you guys aren’t dating anyway, right?”

Oh, she didn’t fool me.

Just the thought of her with Declan made me want to pull every hair on her head out. In clumps. Hell, it made me want to pull every hair on his head out.

Maybe some chest hairs too.

But I reminded myself that Nadia was a pro at manipulating people, and I refused to be toyed with so easily. Two years ago, I’d let myself break in half when girls had trash-talked and run me into the ground, but that wasn’t ever going to happen again.

Bitchy girls with a hard-on for Declan would not determine my happiness or lack thereof.

Declan took my hand and laced his fingers through mine. His thumb caressed my palm. Did he know I was jonesing to smack her? “You ready to eat, love?” he asked softly.

I speared a last look at Nadia’s face, her eyes locked on our intertwined hands.

The cave woman in me wanted to jump on her and have a tussle right here in the cafeteria. But I was better than that.

I nodded at Declan. “I’m starving.”

“Oh, and by the way, Elizabeth and I are dating, Nadia,” Declan said. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to eat lunch.”

What? I felt my eyes widen, but I played it cool.

What on earth was he up to? Was he just trying to get rid of her?

She blinked rapidly, her mouth opening and closing, and then she turned and flounced off.

As soon as she was out of earshot, he turned to me. “You know me telling her about your jewelry was completely innocent, right? She twisted that to make it more than it was.” He studied my face. “I don’t want Nadia. I think you know exactly what I want.”

Okay.

I didn’t bring up his comment about us dating as we went through the line, got our pizzas, and found the large table where our friends were already seated.

Because you like the idea.

“Sit here,” Declan said to me, pointing to a seat next to him as he sat down when Blake motioned for me to sit next to him.

I sent Blake an apologetic smile as I sat down next to Declan.

Just then a text came in on my phone, and I pulled it out of my backpack.

I read the text and the air got sucked out of me.

So you’re blackmailing my father now? Not smart, Elizabeth. Call me ASAP. See you real soon, babe …

Emphatic. Sure of himself. Colby Scott.

I wanted to hurl the phone across the room but settled for gripping the edge of the table.

I jerked up from my seat and grabbed my backpack.

“Where’re you going?” Dax and Declan both asked at the same time, the similar timbres of their voices striking.

“Home.”

“But, you still have classes,” Shelley said with a quizzical look. “You’ve never missed a class in your life, even when you had the flu … Crap, you look like death warmed over.” She scowled. “Was that your mom on the phone?”

Deny, deny, deny.

I clutched my phone to my chest. “Just not feeling well. Later guys.”

Blake stood up. “Wait, I’ll walk you to the parking lot.”

“No, I will.” Declan stood.

Everyone looked at each other, uneasy glances going between Blake and Declan.

“I don’t need a babysitter.” I pivoted on my heels and had just cleared the door that lead to the outdoor quad when I felt Declan behind me. He pulled me to a stop and I whipped around.

His eyes searched mine. “Why are you so upset? One minute you were glad to see me, and the next you can’t get away fast enough. What’s going on with you? Was it Nadia?”

I shook my head.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Has Colby been to see you?”