Page 81 of Even Beneath the Stars

"…Charminator?"

"Pickup Picasso. Compliment Carnivore…. Flirtopotamus."

He shakes his head. "What the—"

"Douchebag in disguise."

He reels back. "You think I'm a douchebag in disguise?""

"No." God this is awkward. "No.It's just… I've been burned before. I get easily swept up in… you know—cute guys who say sweet things. Or clever things. Just—I'm not interested in quick hookups. I'm too emotional. I can't keep my emotions out of it like some people can, with just a fling or quick hookup or whatever. I just get hurt. Or pissed off. Or… both." I glance over at the music boxes then back at Xavier. "So I made this vow to myself to never fool around with a guy unless we've gone on three dates. No exceptions. Because I'm a hard-ass with rules."

"You put restrictions on your own dating life."

"Foolproof measures," I clarify.

Xavier's chin dips in a single deliberate nod, and his long fingers rake through those perfectly messy waves. The casual gesture draws attention to the sharp line of his jaw. The purpling bruise from the fight… The way his thick brows furrow slightly above those haunting hazel eyes.

"I'm really sorry." My heart squeezes at the guarded look that's crept back into his expression. "I swear it isn't you. It's nothing personal or anything, it's just… this rule I swore I'd stick to."

He pushes his hands in his back pockets now, and leans back on his heels, his face settling into that unreadable mask I've come to hate. The one that makes him look untouchable and distant.

"And do you require your gentlemen callers to fill out a dating form, too?" I can't tell if it's humor or an edge of sarcasm laced in his voice. "And insist a chaperone be present on these dates?"

I think it's humor.

In case it is, I tell him, "I have been known to waive the dating form and chaperone for particularly intriguing or handsome suitors."

"That so?" The faintest glimmer of a smirk pulls at his lips.

Xavier pushes his tongue into his cheek, studying me with an expression I can't quite read. He pulls his hands from his back pockets and leans against the wall, casual and graceful despite his bruised ribs.

I can't stop staring at him, trying to decode the hooded but intense look in his eyes. I'm dying to know what's going through his head right now.

"So, what would a gentleman have to do to request a date… if he was interested?"

I blink rapidly, trying to process the question. "You're interested in going on a date with me?"

"Weirdly, yeah." Xavier nods, and there's something disarmingly honest in his voice that makes my stomach flip.

But then my thoughts stumble into reality… and come to a screeching halt. "I work for your parents… I can't—I mean, we shouldn't—"

"Fuck my parents." Xavier says, with zero inflection in his tone. Like he's stating the weather forecast or something similarly mundane. "Do you see them hanging out here? Ever?"

"I mean… no?"

"So." He shrugs. "Who gives a shit. They won't know." Then he adds, "Even if they did, they wouldn't care."

My mind races, remembering all our heated arguments, the tension, the way he's slowly been letting his walls down. The way he looked at me just before almost kissing me. The way he's looking at me right now.

"Okay," I say.

"Tomorrow after school." He pushes off the wall. "Date." He gestures between us. "You and me." Then he extends his hand for me to take, obviously to lead me back upstairs. But I hold back.

"Wait. I have to check if Finn has—"

"Pretty sure he's got clubs or something on Mondays."

I check the schedule on my phone—he's right. Finn has after-school science club then swimming. I'm not unaware how rare it is for a seventeen-year-old guy to be so tuned in to his little brother's world. I'm also not unaware how attractive that is.

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