Chapter Seven

Shawn

“Hey there, Shower Girl.” Leo sat next to me in Human Anatomy like we were best friends then handed me a coffee. “I asked for Ristretto shots since Knox said you were stressed out. I find the acidic drinks from Starbucks make anxiety higher, thus the sweeter shot.”

I blinked. Then blinked harder. He was wearing a tight band shirt, skinny jeans, black and orange combat boots, and a smile that promised more than just moaning, if you get the picture. His golden locks were tucked behind his ears in a low bun, and he was wearing a red beanie that brought out his dark eyebrows and green eyes.

I was more surprised over the fact that women in our general area hadn’t suddenly started ripping their shirts off, since just looking at him seemed to send females in to heat.

“Thanks for the coffee.” I quickly took it from his hand and looked back at the professor whose name had completely escaped me because the minute Leo sat down, I’d been drenched in the sweetest, most intoxicating cologne I’d ever smelled.

Sweet Lord, what did he do? Sacrifice Channing Tatum on an altar and soak up all his man-juice in a bottle? I clenched my teeth and took a sip of coffee. It was surprisingly sweet with just a hint of sugar that made it easy to swallow.

“Huh?” I pulled it back and stared at Leo. “What was this again?”

“Shower Girl special,” he said with a wink. “I’ll be more than happy to bring you one every time we have class together.” I almost choked. Class together? For the rest of the semester? With him? “But I’m going to need a favor…”

“Is anything ever free?” I wondered out loud.

“You’re telling me.”

“You’re the one asking for a favor.”

“How’s that coffee? De…li…cious?” He drew out the word, good naturedly teasing me, then leaned in. “So, here’s the deal. I need you to seduce Knox.”

Had my mouth been full, I would have spit the contents onto the student in front of me and probably soaked my textbook.

“Tell me I heard you wrong,” I hissed as the professor started telling everyone what page to open our books to.

Leo shrugged, opened his book before opening mine and founding the correct page. He was… almost too much, but a part of me wondered if he did it out of habit. Was he so used to doing things for women that he just naturally defaulted to gentlemanly actions when his mouth had no choice but to be a jackass?

“Oh you heard me loud and clear, Shower Girl.” He gave me some major side-eye then leaned in again. “I’m not saying you have to see what’s under his bulging pants.”

I felt my face heat.

“Then again, with that reaction, be my fucking guest! Sla-a-ay, woman, slay—”

“Would you keep your voice down!” I pinched him in the side, reverting back to junior high in a seriously embarrassing way.

“I bet you would hold on to his ponytail,” he said, completely ignoring me, “like a pony. Hey I can put the song on. You guys can give us a little show—”

I groaned and briefly wondered if I could make a quick escape out the window behind me. “I’m not seducing him.”

He opened his mouth and drew a breath.

“Or looking in his pants.”

The student in front of me turned around and judged me hardcore; his look of disappointment in the female sex so real that I wanted to punch him in the face.

Leo gave him a stern stare then made a motion with his fingers that said, “Turn back around ass, or I’m going to let the lady punch you.”

The guy scowled and turned his back to us.

“College boys,” Leo said, as if he wasn’t one. “So studious.”

“Probably because they want to graduate on time and get a job.”

“Oh, I have one of those. Thanks for the advice though.” Leo grinned. “Come on, what do you have to lose? All I’m saying is give him a chance. It’s been a while…”

“Since he’s made a girl moan?” I just had to say.

“Nah.” Leo’s face turned serious. “Since he’s made a girl moan because he wanted to hear it. Since he’s been interested enough to approach her rather than the other way around, and in my book, that happened twice in one night because Little Fort Knox can’t keep it locked up forever.”

“It?” Was he talking about the guy’s penis?

Leo reached across the desk and put a hand against my chest. “It.” He grinned. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

I sighed. “Say I give him a chance, but no seduction. Do I still get coffee?”

Leo seemed to think about it. “A real chance, not the kind you get just because you’re getting coffee every day, along with stellar company.”

“Did we establish that you were stellar, though? Can’t remember…”

“Cute.” He licked his lips. “But I’d like for it to be known that I’m stepping away from the challenge of tasting you, even though I’ve been dreaming about your tits for at least two nights straight.”

“Your bowing out is noted.” I rolled my eyes. “And say, ‘tits’ one more time to me, and I’m going to be twisting one of yours in a very violent non-sexual way, got me?”

“Kinky.” He nodded. “I like it. Maybe save that shit for date seven, though. You can’t just bust it out on date one. You keep the freak flag inside until it’s the right time to let it fly.”

“You’re just full of great life advice, aren’t you?”

He tilted his head. “Aw, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me, and just this morning my mama told me I was smart.”

“At least you’re pretty.” I patted his hand.

He cackled out a laugh, which earned us more stares from classmates and a stern look from the professor.

We were quiet for the next ten minutes.

At least I was quiet.

Leo was too busy tapping his pencil against his book and sighing like the world was ending because of his boredom.

Class finally dismissed, and I stood.

He crossed his arms, waiting for my answer.

“Fine.” I gritted my teeth. “All I can promise is that I’ll give him a chance before I knee him in the balls.”

“That’s really all any man can ask for.” He wrapped a warm, bulky arm around me and led me away from other students. The stares I got ranged from jealousy to judgement. I assumed the jealousy was because Leo was touching me, and the judgement was because people no doubt assumed I’d paid for it.

“Skank,” one girl whispered.

“Desperate.”

I stilled.

Leo turned around so fast you’d have thought he was part cheetah. “You two, over here.”

The girls’ stunned expressions would have been funny if I hadn’t been so embarrassed.

Slowly, they approached us.

“This is Shawn. Say hi, Shawn.”

I croaked out a, “Hi,” and a weak wave.

“Shawn’s my friend. Not my paid cuddle-buddy; not someone I touch because I’m being paid for the fucking honor to touch her, but because I legitimately want to be in her company. So take your bitchy attitudes elsewhere and know that if you ever decide to use our services, we won’t answer. You’re both blacklisted. I’ll be sure to make nice voodoo dolls with your faces on them when I get back to my room, so she can poke your fake boobs with a pin.” He grinned wide. “You can go now.”

They both scurried off, tears in their eyes, while a few people next to us clapped like it was the best thing they’d seen all day.

He sighed, wrapped an arm around me again, and said, “What’s your favorite breakfast food?”

And that was how I became friends with a guy who’d seen me naked before I even knew his name.

Slater was right.

Resistance wasn’t an option.