She stops, glancing at me over her shoulder with a tray of food in her hand and a messenger bag draped over her shoulder.
“Is that her?” Drake asks under his breath. “She’s hot.”
Taylor smacks him again, this time hard enough for us to hear the skin-to-skin contact.
I nod in answer and beckon Sam to come forward with my index finger. Sam rolls her eyes at me debating whether or not she wants to approach our table. With some hesitation, she strolls over to my side, her eyes pointed down at me.
“Yes?”
Preston laughs, shoving more food in his mouth. Jamie stares at Sam in awe as if he’s shocked a girl would ever be so rude to me. Drake is silenced by Taylor whispering in his ear. As long as she’s around, he’ll keep his mouth shut.
“Sit with us.” I pat the open bench next to me, and her eyes follow my hand. When she doesn’t budge, I add, “Please.”
She bites the inside of her cheek, mulling over my offer. “I guess I can stay for a few minutes.”
Why does she have to play so hard to get with me? She drives me fucking crazy.
Sam takes her place next to me and scans the faces at the table before looking at me to make an introduction.
“This is Sam,” I tell my friends. “She’s my tutor.”
“And your TA,” she adds, holding up her hand to give them a quick wave.
Until now, only Jamie knew Sam was also my teacher, since he’s in the same class.
“Hey, I know you,” Taylor says to Sam. “You work for the paper, right?”
“I’m an associate editor at the Strickland Gazette,” Sam offers.
Even I didn’t know this about her. She’s right about me not taking the time to learn a damn thing about her. I have to step up my game if I’m ever going to impress this girl. The old Kane tricks won’t work on her.
“I thought so,” Taylor says. “You look exactly the same as your picture online. I read your last article about the ‘Top Ten Ways to Stay Ahead of Your Assignments.’ It was brilliant. I started using all of your tips, and they really work.”
Sam smiles. “Aww, thank you. I didn’t think anyone read the Gazette.”
“I read it, too,” Jamie says. “You’re a very talented writer. Tuck lucked out getting you as his tutor.”
I love that my friends are taking a liking to Sam, but they are making it apparent that Sam was right about me. I should have known, at the very least, that she works at the school newspaper. Have I ever asked her a single question about herself? We talked about the past and how she could help me graduate, but the focus has never been on her.
I brush my fingers along her arm and whisper against the shell of her ear, “I should have known that about you.”
She glances up at me. “There’s a lot you don’t know.” Her tone doesn’t carry its usual irritation or condescension. Instead, it’s level and soft.
“I plan to fix that,” I promise. “Starting this weekend.”
A smile touches her lips. “How do you intend to do that?”
I honestly have no clue, but I will figure something out before Saturday.
“It’s a surprise.”
“I’m not a fan of surprises,” she challenges because, of course, she has to be so damn stubborn. But that’s also what I like about her.
“I’ll make it worth your while.”
She drags her teeth along her bottom lip, and I have to fight the urge to kiss her.
“Okay,” Sam whispers, holding up her index finger. “You have one shot. Don’t blow it.”
I flash one of my boyish smirks in response.
Challenge accepted.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sam
I stare out the window of the limousine, my eyes wide in shock when the driver pulls up next to a private jet.
“What are we doing here?”
“You ready?” Tucker ignores my question and slips his fingers between mine.
I turn to face him, confused. “Why are we at the airport?”
He smiles. “I told you it’s a surprise.”
“I’ve never been on an airplane,” I admit, feeling somewhat stupid. “I haven’t even left Pennsylvania.”
“Are you afraid of heights?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. But I’ve never really tested the theory.”
I haven’t done much of anything. My father never took me on vacation. He was barely functional enough to get his drunk ass to work.
“Don’t be scared.” Tucker squeezes my hand. “There’s more of a chance you’ll die in a car accident than on a plane.”
A pang of nerves tugs at my chest. “Well, when you put it that way…”
Tucker chuckles. “Yeah, I guess that wasn’t the best thing to say before take-off.” He brushes his lips against mine, my anxiety slowly dissipating from his touch. “I’ll keep you safe.” His hand moves to my leg, sliding up my inner thigh. “And help take your mind off flying.”