Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
That’d be ridiculous. You don’t want anyone to know about you. What if they find out what you really enjoy?
I bite my lip and focus on the paper again, but Brooke can’t stop staring at me, and it’s such a distraction.
“What?” I bark.
She smirks. “You’ve got the hots for him.”
I scowl. “No, I do not.”
Suddenly, someone throws a bunch of books on the table, and I look up to see Crystal standing in front of us. “Hey guys!” She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear, revealing a rose adorning her hair. “Mind if I join you with to study? Sitting by myself is much less fun.”
We all look at her like we’ve seen a ghost.
“What? Am I not welcome?”
“Of course you are,” Brooke says, scooting back a chair for her.
Crystal narrows her eyes at us. “What are y’all talking about?”
“Nothing,” we say in unison.
She looks at us like we’ve lost our marbles. Maybe we have, I’m not sure.
“Ooookay,” she mutters. “That sounds like a mutual secret. Am I butting in to something?”
“Oh no, it’s no secret Lana’s got the hots for Nathan,” Brooke muses.
Crystal’s eyes widen. “Nathan?”
I slap Brooke’s arm with her own book. “The hell I do.”
“Your mouth says that, but your eyes tell a different story.” Brooke laughs.
“Oh my God, Brooke, you can’t just throw people’s secret crushes around,” Irina tells her.
“Too late,” Brooke muses, proud of herself.
Crystal sits down. “Well, tell me all about it.”
“No,” I reply staunchly.
“Why not?” Crystal asks, putting down her books. “Nathan’s a friend of mine. I want to know what he’s up to. And with Felix’s sister, no less.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I say, fighting the blush on my cheeks with everything I’ve got.
Nothing I could ever tell them anyway.
Brooke swivels around on her chair and circles her pom-pom pen at me. “Oooh … she’s getting flushed. She’s totally kissed him already.”
Irina gasps. “Wow, is that true? He didn’t even tell me.”
“I never said anything—”
“You don’t have to. I can see it from the way you look at him,” Brooke interrupts.
“How do I look at him?” I’m getting a little aggressive now, but I don’t want anyone to know anything about anyone.
“Like you want to eat him up and then some.” She smirks.
Fuck.
“The sister of a Skull & Serpent Society member with a Phantom Society member?” Brooke says. Like it would be such a scandal.
I raise a finger. “Don’t. Say. That. Out. Loud.”
“Why?” Brooke muses. “Your brother isn’t here.”
“No, but those Skull & Serpent guys are everywhere, and I don’t know all of those fuckers who join that frat, so can you please keep your voice down?”
Her brow rises. “So you admit you hooked up?”
“No,” I retort.
Crystal smashes her lips together to hide a grin. “Lana?”
“What?” I still can’t help the blush from spreading on my cheeks. “I plead the Fifth.”
“What’s this heated discussion about?”
We all look up to see Milo casually swaying a bottle of water back and forth.
“Oh, don’t mind me, I’m just here for the tea.”
“What tea? There is none. Why are you here?” I ask.
“Nathan asked me to check on you. See if you need anything.”
My eyes widen, and they immediately connect with Nathan, who winks at me.
He actually fucking winks at me.
What the hell is going on here?
All three girls stare at me with blown-up cheeks before they burst out into laughter. “Oh my God, so it’s true!”
“Milo!” I stand. “Can you not?”
“What? You know I always do what I’m told.” He winks. “Do you need some water to cool down?”
“Since when do you two even care what I need?” I bark back.
“Oh … oh boy, this is getting hot,” Brooke mumbles to Crystal.
“Wait a minute, you know both of them?” Crystal asks me.
“Oh, she knows me all right,” Milo muses, licking his lips. “And she knows I’m always at her service.”
He grabs my hand and presses a kiss on top, and the girls practically swoon with excitement.
Good God.
I did not want this public display.
Not in a million years.
Yet I can’t even move as he layers it on extra thick and says, “My lady.”
LANA
“Oh my Goooooood,” Irina exclaims, practically falling off her chair.
My entire face turns red, and I retract my hand. “Okay, that’s enough.”
“Lana, I did not expect this from you,” Crystal muses.
“Me neither, and there’s nothing to expect,” I say, turning to face them. “There is nothing between us.”
“Excuse me, I beg to differ,” Milo muses behind me.
“Swear to God, Milo, I will smack you into the fucking hospital,” I grit, trying to keep my cool so I don’t blow up in front of everyone in this goddamn library.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” he retorts.
“Wow,” Crystal mutters, her eyes widening.
So I whisper to all three of the girls, “Please don’t tell my brother. Or anyone for that matter. They’ve been stalking me.”