“I saw you checking me out yesterday,” a cocky male voice chimes over my shoulder.
The school cafeteria is buzzing with conversation and laughter. I haven’t even taken the first bite of my salad, and now Reid Landry is sliding into the seat next to me and blurting out absurdities.
I place the lettuce-filled fork back in the black plastic container and turn to face him. There’s the same mischief in his eyes that I saw yesterday. Two days in a row. Maybe it wasn’t a fluke.
He reaches for my fork and helps himself to the bite I left neglected.
My lips pull together in a thin line and I narrow my eyes at him. “You’ve got balls, you know that?”
He grins, mouth still full of salad. He even has ranch dressing on his bottom lip. “Nice of you to notice.”
I roll my eyes and slide my lunch to the side opposite of where he sits. “I think I’m the only girl here who hasn’t noticed, actually.”
“You’re cute when you’re in denial.”
“I’m not in denial. I’m in a relationship.”
He moves my hair from my neck, exposing the bright red and purple brand Carter left last night. His fingertips linger against my skin, leaving me paralyzed by his touch. “Yeah.” He swallows. “Obviously.” His tone is less enthusiastic than it was just a minute before.
I move my hair back to cover up the hickey, and he drops his hand.
“Well, Makenna…” He tilts his head to one side and keeps staring at me that way—the way that makes things tingle that should definitely not be tingling. “It is Makenna, right?”
I nod.
“I’m a sucker for a challenge,” he says through a wide grin. Then he slides off the bench and joins his friends on the other side of the cafeteria.