Oh, well. This wasn’t going to make me give up. No, if anything, it would only make me try harder.
I repeated, “A date. Don’t keep me waiting in suspense. How did it go?” My not-so-sly way of asking if she was going to see him again. Was it wrong to hope the date went horribly so that I could have the chance to give her a real date? Probably, but did that stop my mind from going there anyway? No, no it did not.
Bree’s thin shoulders shrugged, and she reached up to tuck some of her pink hair behind an ear. Normally she hid behind those pink tendrils, but when they were tucked behind her ears, her face was visible to any and all—and what a face it was. She really was pretty, and I bet she had no idea how pretty she was.
“Not so good,” she muttered, frowning to herself as she recalled the date.
I caught myself smiling, but then realized how much of an ass it might make me look, so I quickly hid the smile. She wasn’t my territory, but I did feel a few pangs of jealousy when I imagined her on a date with another guy. “I’m sorry to hear that.” No, I was not, but again, I wanted to be sympathetic.
If anyone was going to take her on a date and show her a good time, it was me.
She didn’t know that, though, and at this point, I had no idea how the hell I was going to pull it off. She didn’t seem eager to talk to me, or even eager to meet with me for this project. Hmm. I supposed I could give her some time to get used to my amazing presence, and then I could bombard her with asking her on a date.
Bree shrugged again, this time meeting my eyes. “I knew it was going to be bad. I’m not…I don’t do dates.”
That got me to chuckle. She’d said it so seriously, and yet I had to ask, “What do you mean?” The longer we spent not talking about our project, the more time I’d be able to spend with her. I’d consider that a win.
“I just don’t. I don’t do dates, I don’t do boyfriends. I don’t go to parties or hang out with friends.” Bree’s voice quieted, and her green gaze once again fell to her lap. “I’m really boring, Mason.” She spoke it like she was telling me a deep-seated secret, something no one else in the world knew.
I let myself revel in the way my name sounded on her tongue for a few moments, then I said, “I don’t think you’re boring.”
A teeny, tiny smile graced her face. “Just wait, then. By the time this project is done and over with, I’m sure you’ll regret picking me for a partner.” The way she insulted herself, took herself down, it came so naturally. I bet she did it all the time.
This girl didn’t think she was worth anything, did she? I couldn’t say why, but that bothered me. No, Bree was wrong. By the time this project was over, she wouldn’t think that way. I would never regret choosing her as a partner, even if she refused to see me in a friendly, dating manner; I would make her believe that she was worth it.
“Why don’t you let me decide on that,” I suggested, grinning. “Here’s a hint: I don’t think that’s how this is going to end.”
That must’ve caught her off-guard, for she looked up sharply and asked, “And how do you think this is going to end?”
“You and I, acing this stupid project and being the talk of the class,” I spoke, still grinning. At least Bree wasn’t frowning anymore; I hoped my smile was a little infectious. “But hold on, because that’s not all.”
She lifted a brow—a brow that was still a brown color, her natural hair color. “It’s not?”
“Nope. In addition to getting a perfect grade on this project, you and I are going to become close. Very good friends.”
“Are we?”
I could tell she didn’t believe me. That was okay. I could handle her non-belief. It would make proving her wrong that much more delicious. “You bet. The best of friends…who also see each other in a more than friendly capacity.” Eh, probably should’ve kept that last part to myself, but I had to test the waters, see her reaction.
She’d had a horrible date with her sister’s boyfriend’s brother. But what about a possible future date with me?
“More than friendly…” Bree started to echo me, but she drifted off, her beautiful gaze widening when she finally realized what it was I meant. “Mason, I told you I don’t date.”
“You also said you think you’re boring, and I know you’re not. You might not do dates, but maybe that’s just because you haven’t met the right guy yet.”
Bree let out a sigh. “I’ve met a lot of people. I’m never anyone’s first choice.”
“What if I say you’re mine?”
She froze, unable to say anything or even blink for the longest time, as if she was afraid she’d misheard me. Eventually she smiled. Just a quick, small thing before it faded and she said, “I’d tell you to stop lying.”
I held her stare for what felt like forever, knowing nothing I could say today would change her mind. I’d give her time. Time was the great equalizer, wasn’t it? Or was that death? Oh, well. In this case, it was time—and I would take as much time as I needed to make Bree realize that I wasn’t lying to her.
Bree shifted in her seat. “Are we going to choose a topic, or did you want to meet to talk about my dating life?”
To be honest, I didn’t know
