Page 51 of The Other Side
“What?” I snapped, placing my hands on my hips.
“You said ‘we.’” His grin grew impossibly larger. “Does that mean you’re in?”
I huffed in annoyance. He was so aggravating. “Yes,” I sniped.
“I’ll pretend you put up more of a fight if it’ll make you feel better,” he mocked.
“I have a few conditions.” I tried to mimic his tone from when he’d used the same words against me the night he had discovered my lounge.
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
“No funny business.” I managed to say it with a straight face.
“Don’t worry, you’re not funny, so no funny business will be had,” Chance quipped.
“I mean it.” I glared at him.
It was bad enough I was still attracted to him despite everything, which should have had me running for the hills. I needed to be careful and keep protecting myself if we were going to work together, so I wasn’t at risk of losing my job for violating the faculty code of conduct—whether or not it was frequently enforced remained irrelevant.
“Define ‘funny business’ then,” he challenged, folding his arms over his chest.
“You cut out all the flirting. I won’t lose my job because of you.”
“I had no idea my fondness for you was such a temptation.”
He was incorrigible.
“And what if the policy didn’t exist?” He leaned forward in his chair. “What then, Violet, darling?”
I clenched my teeth, refusing to answer, because I couldn’t say out loud what he seemed to already know, that I was still very much interested in him, or at least my body was.
An awkward silence ensued. Our physical chemistry palpably filled the room.
“Can we at least be friends?” Chance finally broke the tension.
“Maybe—I haven’t decided yet,” I stuttered.
His lips curled into what had become his trademark smirk. I hated how entirely pleased he was with himself, knowing he had won me over, much to my chagrin.
“I would also like it on the record that you’re practically unbearable, and that you’re lucky I’m agreeing to this.” I pointed my index finger at his face.
Chance captured my finger, forcing me to lower it, and twined his fingers through mine, causing heat to travel from his touch to other areas I wasn’t exactly proud of. “It’s been noted.”
I pulled my hand from his grasp and took a step back.
“Get changed and come upstairs. I need to get you up to speed on my notes.”
“How about you go upstairs and I’ll go back to bed.” I crossed the room, flopping onto the mattress.
He barked a laugh at my dramatics. “I’ll see you up there.” And then the asshole had the audacity to fucking wink at me before making a casual exit from my room, bag of pastries in hand.
