Talon’s brows rose. “Late for …?”
“Work,” I said, already shoving my bag onto my shoulder. “I—uh—forgot to leave earlier.”
He tilted his head, amused. “Again with the rushing out of here?”
I gave a half smile, my cheeks warming. “Maybe it’s a talent of mine.”
Before he could respond, I grabbed my coffee and practically bolted toward the exit, shooting him one last glance before I was out the door.
Outside, I exhaled and tried to calm my racing heart. I’d be late if I didn’t hustle. My office at Harrington & Co., the small accounting firm downtown, wasn’t far, but every minute counted. Between clients, school assignments, and balancing my two majors, I didn’t have the luxury of lingering over coffee—or flirtatious encounters with impossibly infuriating—yet intriguing—swimmers.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of him watching me go, that half smile lingering in my mind as I weaved through the morning crowd.
CHAPTER 5
LIVVI
After a long day at work, I began my walk home. My apartment was a fifteen-minute walk from Harrington & Co., but I didn’t mind it because it took me through the beautiful campus grounds on my way. Knowing I had a video chat from Cali waiting for me, I slipped in my AirPods and opened the app.
“Hey, friend! Sorry it took me so long to reply.”
I laughed. Most people would think responding in less than twenty-four hours was fast—but not us. Cali and I messaged multiple times a day. Distance didn’t matter; we acted like we lived side by side.
“But I’ll get back to why in a minute,” she continued. “You were right—I didn’t guess Talon. Like, what? I legit squealed out loud. I know I shouldn’t think his cocky responses are hot, but I totally did.”
I rolled my eyes, though she couldn’t see it.
“Girl, you arestrongto not fall at his feet in a puddle of desire.”
Strong? More like awkward and unsure. I hadn’t known what to do, so I had leaned on my feisty side to get me through.
“I would have totally melted on the spot. Just his posters get me heated. Heck yes, I want a piece of Talon Everhart!”
I chuckled, grateful for the AirPods. No one needed to hear that. Cali was mostly all talk anyway—she was shyer than she let on.
“Do you think he’s going to come to your secret library room again? Oh, I hope he does. I need more Talon stories in my life. I’ve been telling you to go to a swim meet for years. Then you could send me a video from there and zoom in on him with water trickling down his abs. Ugh, I already know what you’re going to say. I’ve been reading too many romance novels, but whatever—they’re good, and you know it.”
I smiled. I’d been thinking the exact same thing. Cali read more than anyone I knew.
“Okay, ready for my night recap? The friend dinner was fine, blah, blah, blah, but then everyone stood up to leave, and Jared lingered back. We just talked about the food, but still!”
She continued, recounting her night in exhausting detail, and I let her chatter fill the walk.
My video message ended just as I passed the large vertical banner of Talon—the one I usually sat near to read or study outside. Mainly for the shade of the nearby tree, not that I minded the scenery.
Seeing his shirtless body sparked an idea. I pressed record.
“Okay, Calico, I have a surprise for you,” I said. “I may not be going to a swim meet, but …” I flipped the camera. “How’s this for zooming in on his abs?” I focused the camera, giving her a close up of Talon’s very sculpted abdominal muscles.
A throat cleared. “If you want the real thing, I can lift up my shirt for you.”
I froze.No, no, no.This could not be happening.
“Uh, gotta go.” I ended the recording. Slowly, I turned, cheeks blazing. Talon stood a few feet away, freshly out of what I assumed was his evening practice at the Wilson Center. His brown hair was slightly damp, his maroon sweats and fitted black T-shirt highlighting his toned frame. Yep, gorgeous, as always.
His blue eyes held mine, expectant, waiting for me to explain why I’d been zooming in on him.
Shifting from foot to foot, it was now my turn to clear my throat. “It was just a joke.”