Then You Saw Me by Carrie Aarons

9

Austin

Taya sits across from me at our table on the third floor of the library, and I can’t help but sneak glances up at her every once in a while.

Okay, not every once in a while. It’s more like every millisecond, and I hope she doesn’t notice, but she probably has.

But, Christ, how am I supposed to keep my eyes off her? She’s effortless, with those tight black leggings covering her legs. I couldn’t stop staring at her ass as we walked into the cafe on campus, the library, and then up the stairs to our table. Her hair is loose and down, and she’s wearing these thick-rimmed, cheetah-print glasses she slipped on to study.

I have to stop myself from biting my fist at how fucking sexy she looks in those glasses. Images invade my brain, of me lifting her up and lying her down on the table in front of me. Parting her thighs, coming to settle between them …

Taya clears her throat; she definitely caught me staring at her, and I quickly divert my gaze to the textbook in front of me.

I don’t know what compelled me to ask her for coffee instead of just moving my car. She’d come into my room so sullen, almost like she didn’t want to be there. The attitude shift I’d seen in her since that morning in the kitchen after that party was a big contrast from the flirty vibes she’d been giving me before.

And I haven’t stopped thinking about her over the past couple of days. I thought I would have since I was turned off by what she said. But the next morning, in the kitchen, my curiosity about Taya North just ignited once more when I overheard her brief conversation with her friends.

So I made a split-second decision and am not regretting it one bit. First, we’d gone to the Rat, the cafe on campus, to get coffees. As we waited in line, I asked Taya about her favorite thing to get. A caramel latte and a pumpkin scone. So I bought her those, and she blushed so hard while quietly thanking me that I think my curiosity turned straight into being enamored.

The drive to and from the house to the cafe and the cafe to the library was spent arguing over music. Taya is a strict hip-hop enthusiast, while I prefer country and classic rock. We agreed that The Beatles are untouchable and that a good Drake song will overrule all else. I can’t help but smile as I sit here, because I haven’t had a conversation quite like that with a girl in a while.

It’s not like I really need to study. Honestly, I was barely doing it at home and I haven’t been to the library since freshman year. I’m one of those people who works worse in here than I do in my bed, in my room.

But it’s like I can’t help myself. So here I am, sitting in the library, pretending to study for a test I don’t have, and not-so-secretly creeping on Taya.

“So, Mandarin? That’s a hard language, no?” I ask, trying to get the conversation going.

It takes her a minute to look up from the notebook she’s writing in, her eyes slowly sweeping to connect to mine. “Uh-huh. It’s definitely not as easy as other ones.”

“Say something to me,” I challenge her, leaning forward on my elbows.

She taps a red polished finger to her chin. The color reminds of the dress she wore to the party the other night.

“Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ de yǎnjīng de yánsè.”

I’m utterly impressed with her pronunciation. I can barely speak English on the radio most days.

“And what does that mean?” I can’t stop staring at the corner of her mouth that her tongue just darted out to wet.

“See now, why would I tell you that?” She winks, and my balls tighten with flirty anticipation.

I sip my coffee and watch as she stares at the way my Adam’s apple bobs when I swallow. “I think you said that you think I’m the hottest guy in here.”

Taya blushes, and damn, could I get used to seeing her cheeks go all pink. “I don’t even know if that’s true, haven’t seen all the available options in the library right now.”

Neither of us is addressing that I kind of walked away from her at that party. But I know she’s cautious because of it. We were drunk, and either of us could use it as an excuse, but I don’t think we know each other well enough to actually talk about it. Plus, it’s awkward on both sides. What am I going to say? Well, you mentioned my last name and how I used to act in high school which is a big turnoff for me …

Yeah, no. I’ll settle for her thinking I’m kind of a jerk, if that’s what she thinks. Once we hang out more, she’ll see it’s not true. And maybe I can determine if she was just drunk and saying shit, or if she’s actually like everyone else back in Webton.

“Yeah, I don’t think you need to do all that. You know who is sitting across from you.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Maybe I said that I’m sitting at a table with the cockiest guy in the library.” She chuckles, biting the tip of her tongue where it sticks out.

In the most smug, suggestive moves of all, I look down at my lap and back up at her innocently. “Maybe.”

But instead of blushing, Taya throws her head back and laughs. The tinkling, infectious sound sends goose bumps from my shoulders down to my wrists, and my heart does some weird lurch thing.

When she bends forward, clutching her chest and shaking her head, all of those brown waves fall into her face.

As if my arm is mesmerized, it moves to reach out to her. My fingers connect with her cheek, the smooth skin something I want to feel all day. I want to run my hands all over her naked body but will settle for this since there are at least a dozen other people on this floor.

“Your hair is like silk,” I murmur, almost to myself.

Taya’s dark eyelashes flutter closed, almost kissing her cheeks, and she sucks in a breath. I pull the lock that’s shadowing half her face and tuck it behind her ear, my fingertips curving down to the lobe.

“There. Now I can see you.” My voice is a whisper.

Hypnotizing hazel eyes blink at me, dazed, and I want to launch myself across the table and fuse my mouth to hers. My cock hardens in my pants as I imagine grabbing her hands and leading her into the stacks. We could get lost in there for a while.

But this time, it’s Taya who pulls back. She clears her throat, fumbling her fingers through pages in her textbook.

“We really should get back to studying. I have so much to cram into this brain.” Her laugh is nervous and skittering.

Okay, I get the message. I backed off at the party, and now she’s the one playing hard to get. That’s okay, we can get to know each other, play the long game.

Even if my dick is screaming at me to get the fuck up and get lost in the depths of the library with her.