Page 15 of Trusting Tanner
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she started and deleted several replies until she settled on:Don’t make me go to the frat party.Her hands shook as she waited for his reply, fully expecting a lecture about how she couldn’t avoid life forever. She got out of bed and put on her sneakers.
Devon:I thought you’d want to go to see Collins.There was an emoji with a heart over its puckered lips.
Her jaw dropped.He did not just say that!Laughing, she typed a response.You’re impossible.She included the middle finger emoji then added,lol.Still not going to the frat party.
Devon:You’re lame. But I’ll let you slide. This time.
She blew out a breath.Thanks, Dev.Now she was free to go to the roller-skating party with Tanner, which was sonota date. It was a bunch of friends hanging out. Nothing more. Still, the thought of being on a non-date with him had butterflies invading her chest. She hesitated, wondering if she should tell Devon about her planned evening with Tanner.
Devon:Yeah, yeah. Catch up with ya later.
He was on his way to meet with his advisor, and she had a class soon. She’d tell him later. Juliana’s stomach growled loudly, reminding her the only thing she’d eaten all day was the donut Tanner had given her. Just thinking about his reactions made her face flush. He had been doing some serious flirting. She had, too, but she hadn’t been able to stop herself. He was the type of guy who made it easy to get caught up in the excitement of all the feelings that came with getting to know someone new, and those feelings were downright addictive. It was those same feelings that kept her going back to Zach, because every time she’d try to break up with him, he’d lure her in again with the rush of all those initial emotions.
She left her room and headed to the dining hall. If she was lucky, she’d run into someone she knew and wouldn’t have to eat alone.
Moving through the line, she grabbed a roast beef sandwich, a cup of fruit cocktail, a bottle of strawberry lemonade, and a pack of gummy bears—they were her weakness. She stepped up to the cashier and dug into her backpack for her meal plan card. Before she could get it out, an arm extended in front of her.
“My treat.”
She glanced up to find Tanner standing next to her, smiling.Where the hell did he come from?Her heart raced, and she licked her lips. “You really didn’t have to do that.”
“I know. I wanted to.”
Her heart melted, and she had to consciously stop from sighing like a lovelorn teenager. “Oh, well, thanks.” She smiled and took her food, waiting while Tanner paid for his.
“So, now that I’ve bribed you by paying for your meal, you think we can eat together?”
“Of course. I was planning to head outside.”
“Sounds good. Lead the way.”
Taking a deep, calming breath, she led Tanner to her usual spot beneath the tree, and they sat. “Great choice.” He looked around. “Nice and shady. I can see why you like to sit here and stare at me.”
She’d done thatonetime. “I don’t sit and stare at you.”
“Mm-hmm.” Disbelief drenched his voice.
He didn’t believe her? Oh heck no! There were so many things she could say to prove him wrong. A competitive thrill raced up her spine, raising the hairs on the back of her neck.Just let it go, Jules. She twisted the top off her lemonade and took a drink, swallowing the urge to get into a ridiculous argument with him. “You know, for what it’s worth, you didn’t have to bribe me to have lunch with you.”
“Oh yeah?” The corner of his mouth lifted in a dead-sexy smile.
She took another drink, praying the cold liquid would cool the fire raging inside her, and then she nodded. Her voice wouldn’t work right now even if she had to scream for her life.
“I’ll have to remember that.” He unwrapped his burrito and took a large bite. She stared at him, watching the way his lips moved when he chewed, the bob of his Adam’s apple when he swallowed, the way his tongue darted out to dab the corner of his mouth.
Okay. Stick a fork in me. I’m done.Everything made much more sense now. The way he’d stared at her that morning like he was memorizing every move she made, the way his eyes had darkened and he looked like he wanted to eat her instead of the donut. Seriously, when did eating get to be so sexy?
Forcing herself to look away, she tore off the plastic film covering her fruit cocktail. Moments ago, she’d been ravenous, and now she could barely swallow. She was hyperaware of Tanner’s presence, making her appetite vanish.
“You ready for Clinical Lab class?” He wadded up the foil wrapper and reached for his drink. “It was so lame last semester.”
Clinical Lab was a class where real-life illnesses and diseases were simulated by actors—mostly the drama majors because they got extra credit for it—and then the class had to act like real doctors to diagnose and treat them. Unfortunately, the drama students took their roles too seriously and often overacted, which made the entire class ridiculous.
“Yeah, but it’s nice to have comic relief when all our other classes are so intense. Besides, it’s an easy grade.”
“Maybe for you.” He shifted so his leg was resting against hers, and she held her breath at the shudder that shot through her at the contact. “Not all of us are geniuses.”
Without thinking, she moved closer, wanting to feel more of his body near hers, even if it was just his leg. “Trust me, I’m not a genius. Though I’ve always been good in school. Stick with me; I’ll get you an A.”
