Shane

“You’re late.” The haughty look she shoots my way is so darn sexy and unexpected that my lips twist up into a grin.

“Sorry, pretty girl. Had to stop by the main office to pick up our lunch.” I lift the brown paper bag to show her before setting it on the table. “Since I’m the one who asked to meet over lunch, I figured the least I could do was feed you.” Sensing her objection, I quickly unpack the food. “I didn’t know what you like, so I went all in. Consider this a tasting of all the appetizer options at Souder’s Bar & Grill.” When she tears her eyes away from the food and looks at me, my heart stutters in my chest. That right there is what I’m talking about. One look from those gorgeous hazel eyes is all it takes for my body to react. She’s the only person to hold that kind of power over me, and my God is that heady feeling addictive.

“You… you didn’t have to.”

“I know, but I wanted to. I meant what I said the last time we talked. I’m invested. I think you’re amazing, and I’d love nothing more than a front-row seat from which to watch you teach that asshole Mr. Blair a lesson. The bastard never should have underestimated you.” She drops her gaze, as she often does under the weight of my attention. I wish I knew why she does this. Is it to hide the crimson hue that flushes over the surface of her beautiful, perfect skin? Or could it be she’s afraid I might see that she’s just as desperate for me as I am for her? “Here you go.” I set down a paper plate and roll of plastic utensils in front of her. “Let’s dig in.”

To my surprise, she doesn’t hesitate, filling her plate with a little of everything before she unrolls the plastic ware from the napkin, and goes in for the first bite. At the sight of her enjoying something I provided, my heart swells with something akin to gratification. Like some primal part of me has awakened, I’m suddenly filled with an intense desire to give this beautiful girl whatever she needs, whenever she needs it.

“So, how do we do this?” Her words cut through the silence, pulling me out of the Becca-sized love haze, scrambling my thoughts.

“Well, while we eat, why don’t you tell me about your week?”

“You said we would stick to only talking about school.”

“That is why we’re here, isn’t it?” Biting back a smile at the sight of the red flush highlighting her cheeks, I feign innocence. “Unless… is there something else you want to talk about?”

“No.” She lowers her gaze and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “The way you asked, it sounded like… never mind.” Flustered, she huffs out a breath before reaching into her backpack to pull out a paper planner. “I haven’t had another test since we last talked on Wednesday, but I submitted a few assignments. They haven’t been graded yet, but I’m confident I did well. If you like, I can show you the final grades when they come in.”

Taking a bite of chicken quesadilla, I nod and watch closely as she fidgets under my stare. She’s nervous, made even more obvious by how her fingers palm at the corner of the pages in her notebook, while her other hand tucks another non-existent strand of hair behind her ear. The way she reacts to my proximity sends pools of warm need down to my groin. The longer I stare, the more willpower it takes to keep my hand from palming the growing bulge inside my jeans.

“I’d love to see them. What else?” I need to keep her talking. Since this is the last time I’ll see her until Monday, I intend to take advantage of every second we have left.

“Next week I have three quizzes and one exam on the schedule, but I’ve been studying a little every day, so I’m not too worried about those. My biggest concern at the moment is the Microeconomics presentation that’s due on Tuesday.”

“What’s the topic?”

“How companies use microeconomics to maximize revenue.” Fuck, that’s hot. She’s so damn beautiful, I sometimes forget how incredibly brilliant she is. “I’ve done all the research and prepared the exhibits and examples I’d like to cite. All that’s left is pulling everything together.”

“Why are you worried? Sounds like you’ve got everything under control.”

“Well, I’m working the weekend. With my work schedule, I’ll have to buckle down hard to get everything done on time.” The notable way her shoulders droop as she stares vacantly at the planner in front of her makes my chest ache.

“Is there any way you can take time off?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I need the money.”

“Becca…” I hesitate. What little I know about her, I can tell she’s not someone who’d ever accept financial help from anyone. Still, I have to try. “If you need money…”

“Don’t!” She slams her notebook closed and proceeds to pack her school bag like we’re finished and she’s ready to go back to class.

“Becca, wait. Please don’t leave, not like this.”

“I don’t need a handout, Shane. I’ve been doing just fine taking care of myself. I’ll figure this out on my own, just like I always do.”

Not knowing how else to get her to stop and listen, I circle the table, getting to her just as she’s slipping the strap of her bag onto her shoulder. Somehow I know that touching her will further spook her, so instead I stand a few feet in front of her, and with my palms up and facing her I beg, “Wait. Please. I didn’t mean to offend you. I only wanted to help, but I see now that my offer was inappropriate. I’m here to help you with school, so let’s just stick to that. Please stay, and together we’ll devise a plan to get you to the finish line.”

I’m not afraid to admit that I’m terrified she’ll walk away and never speak to me again. She’s made it clear she’s not okay with my world or the wealth my family and friends are known for. I should have expected this reaction and, therefore, kept my mouth shut. It’s a mistake I won’t ever make again.

Like she’s searching for my deepest, darkest truths, she scans back and forth between my eyes. “Fine. I’ll stay, but only as long as you promise to never speak about money again. I refuse to be treated like a charity case.”

“Understood. I promise.” I make the vow with a hand over my heart, before signaling for her to rejoin me at the table, which she does—much to my relief. “Now tell me, how can I help?”

“There’s nothing you can do, except… maybe help me talk it through.”

“Whatever you need.” Relieved, I give her my signature grin, which triggers that nervous tick where she looks away and tucks a ghost strand of hair behind her ear. It makes me want to pull her into my arms so I can kiss her until we’re both breathless and achy in our most intimate places.

“Okay, well, I won’t have time today since my shift starts right after school and I’m scheduled to close. I will have a couple of hours before my shift tomorrow morning, so I think I’ll start the initial draft then. I close again tomorrow night, but if I load up on caffeine, I can probably have most of it done by the wee hours of Sunday morning. If I can somehow manage the same schedule on Sunday, by Monday all that will be left are the final edits and then polishing up my talking points for the presentation.”

She makes it sound simple and doable, but as I do the math inside my head, all I can think about is when will she find the time to sleep. While I admire her work ethic and ability to push through adversity, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that keeping up this pace can’t be good for her long term. I also know that she feels like she has no choice, and hell, at one time, that may have been true. Now, though, she has me, and what I want more than anything in this world is to be the man who takes care of her. While I know it’s a tad dramatic, I’m at the point where I’d lay down my life for her. I want to bend and mold myself to her will, to be her protector and savior, her knight in shining armor. At the very least, I want to be the man at her side as she conquers the world while I stand by and at the ready to slay down monsters and dragons for her.

What can I say? I’m not ashamed to admit, she’s turned me into a sappy, hopeless romantic.

I’m desperate to help her, but I also know she’ll fight me tooth and nail out of stubbornness and pride. I’ll need to handle this delicately and come up with a plan where she’ll have no choice but to accept my help. Plus, it will give us more time together, a fact that makes risking more of her ire completely worth it.

Shamefully giddy with newfound excitement, my smile grows impossibly bigger. “Sounds like a good start. Consider me your accountability partner. Now all I ask is that you please trust me and let me help.”

“Umm, what do you mean? Help me how?”

“Exactly what I said. Trust me this one time, and let me prove to you I’m someone you can rely on.” When she sits there staring down at her hands, I know what to say to give her the gentle nudge she needs. “Come on, pretty girl, don’t be scared.”

Sharp eyes snap to mine with such fire it ignites the blood in my veins and sends it straight down to my crotch. “I’m not scared.”

“Then prove it. Just for this weekend, put your complete trust and faith in me and I’ll guarantee not only will you ace that presentation, but you’ll learn you have a reliable accountability partner and friend in me. It’s a win-win, I promise. And it won’t affect your job or income in the least.”

“I don’t believe in anything that could be construed as cheating.”

I gasp in feigned shock. “Who said anything about cheating? What kind of guy do you think I am?”

Lost in her thoughts, I watch the furrow in her brow as she looks back and forth between my eyes. That’s when I know I’ve got her. Hook, line, and sinker!

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Author’s Note:

I'd love to hear what you think about this scene. Comment as you read along and let me know what you think. 

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