Page 26 of Sin

I jump, not realizing Sin was back. He sits down next to me and looks at my power bar like it’s a bag of meth. He plucks it out of my hand and tosses it into a nearby trash can.

“Hey,” I complain, knowing that food from the student union is way out of my budget and dinner is a long way off. “That’s my lunch.”

“You can share my food,” Sin says, rummaging in his own bag of takeout and pulling out a container. “Do you like sashimi?”

“I’ve never had it,” I answer truthfully.

“Another first.” He holds out a piece of salmon to my lips. “Try this.”

He watches me closely as I self-consciously accept the bite. Flavor hits my mouth, and I let out a little moan. “That is the best freaking food I’ve ever tasted.”

A heat flares in his eyes and he picks up another piece of the sashimi. “Here. You’ll love the maguro, then.”

I accept another bite from his hand, and he’s right, it’s even better than the salmon. As Sin watches me enjoy the maguro, he licks his lips.He must be hungry.

“You should eat.” I push the container of sushi at him. “It’s your lunch,” I tell him.

“Pick a piece out for me,” he orders, his voice low and husky.

I look at the various types of sashimi laid out in front of me I only recognize a few pieces, and I don’t know which ones he even likes.

He must read my mind. “Just pick one. I like them all.”

I hesitate while I look for utensils or chopsticks. “The delivery guy forgot them. Feed me like I did you,” he prompts.

I pick up the scallop since I at least know what that is and gingerly hold it out to him. He takes a small bite, leaving at least half of the scallop uneaten. “Hmmm,” he lets out a low rumble of appreciation that sends shivers running through me.

He nods at the scallop I’m still holding out for him to eat. “Finish it.”

“It’s yours.”

“We’re sharing.” His eyes never leave me as I place the rest of the scallop in my mouth. The light, buttery, slightly sweet taste of the scallop hits my mouth, the flavor somehow heightened by sharing it with Sin.

We eat each piece that way. Sin giving me the names of the sashimi I’m not familiar with, and then taking turns feeding them to each other. I’m so caught up in the experience, I stop being self-conscious around his friends. I forget they’re even there.

Then Sin’s phone rings again, completely shattering the little bubble I’d cocooned myself in with him. He jumps up immediately and walks off to take the call.

Is it Oliver calling again?

The world rushes back, and I try to orient myself back to regular existence that comes without all the intensity of being under Sin’s heady gaze.

“God, I fucking hate organic chemistry,” a red-headed girl, whom I think introduced herself as Chloe, complains, slamming her book closed and throwing it down. “I just can’t wrap my brain around it.”

“What concept are you having trouble grasping?” I ask, knowing a lot of people have trouble with the abstract nature of the subject.

“Stereochemistry is kicking my ass. I don’t understand it, so none of the damned formulas make any sense to me.”

“Come here,” I offer. “I think I might be able to help. “

Chloe sits down beside me, and I place my left and right hands side by side. “See how my hands both have the same structure, but they can’t be superimposed? The same goes for molecules in stereochemistry.” Then, as simply as I can, I go on to try to build her understanding of the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules that is the foundation oforganic and biological chemistry. I open my computer and type in a few formulas for her and walk her through using them.

“Oh, my God. You’re wonderful!” Chloe says, hugging me. “In fifteen minutes, you helped me more than my professor and my tutor put together.”

“I’m a nerd,” I shrug, a little embarrassed at once again being the group’s center of attention.

“Do you do any tutoring on the side? I know this class is going to continue to kick my ass all semester long. I’m paying my current tutor sixty bucks an hour, and I’d pay you eighty.”

Eighty bucks an hour?I’m only getting twenty through the agency I work for. A client like Chloe could really help me get ahead of my debt and stockpile enough money away so I could afford my own place.

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