Page 26 of Frozen Hearts
He pulls the phone away, and I do the same, tucking it back in my pocket as I scan his face, wondering what was so urgent that he wanted to meet. We rarely talk outside of class or our tutoring sessions.
“So, is that a yes to tonight?”
Snorting, I shove his shoulder playfully.
“Only in your dreams, Astor.”
He smirks, the expression sinful and making me momentarily wonder what it would be like to spend the night in Logan Astor’s bed. I bet it would be mind-blowing.
Coughing to clear my throat, I glance away as I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “So, what’s up?”
I swear I hear him laugh, but when I snap my attention back to him, he’s scrolling through his phone before holding it up.
“Just wanted to show you this,” he says, his grin wide and proud.
“No freaking way! Logan, you got an A!”
The results must have been emailed while I was in class.
“Yup.” His smile is bright enough to outshine the sun. “I knew I had to find you the second I found out.”
“That’s amazing, Logan. You should be really proud of yourself.”
I swear his cheeks turn the slightest shade of red. It’s adorable.
“Thank you.”
We stare at one another for a moment. I can’t stop grinning at him, genuinely proud of the effort he has put in—and look how all his hard work has paid off! “So, I was thinking we could grab a coffee or something to celebrate?”
“Oh. I, uh…”
“Or will being seen with me in public tarnish your rep?” he teases.
“Are you sureyouwant to be seen withme?” I counter, not entirely joking.
He scoffs, moving to throw an arm over my shoulder and escort me away from Jefferson Hall. “I don’t give a shit what any of these people think, but for the record, I’d be proud to be seen hanging out with you, Riley.”
I duck my head, hiding my smile as we meander through campus.
“What do you want?” he asks as we approach the coffee cart.
“Oh, I’ll just grab a coffee from the dining hall,” I say, attempting to slide out from beneath his arm as I gesture toward the dining hall behind us.
His nose scrunches in disgust. “You’d rather drink the piss they give away in there?”
I grit my teeth, embarrassed that I have to spell it out. “It’s free,” I say, unable to look him in the eye.
My confession is followed by a moment of silence, and I can feel his eyes scanning my face. Still, I refuse to meet his gaze. “This is my treat, Shortcake. A thank you for taking a chance on this dumb athlete and turning him into a full-fledged nerd.”
With the awkward moment instantly brushed aside, my lips reluctantly curl upward.
“So, what do you want?”
“A pumpkin spice latte,” I answer immediately.
He orders our drinks before we move to sit on a bench nearby, away from the hustle that always seems to surround the coffee cart. Logan sits beside me, leaving only a sliver of space between our bodies. To distract myself from how close we are, I lower my nose to the cup and inhale deeply, ingraining the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg into my brain.God, I could live off that smell alone.
Taking a sip, my eyes drift closed as I relish that first taste. “God, that’s so good.”
