My face burned with embarrassment. "It's, uh, research. For a paper I'm writing."
"Really?" He handed me a scandalous book on sex kinks. With illustrations. "Law school must have changed since my dad's time. If I'd known this was on the curriculum I might have acquiesced to his demands and gone."
"Right. It's not for law school, per se. A different project."
A woman behind us cleared her throat loudly and scowled.
The librarian scanned my books and card, and I started to walk away. "Thanks again for the help."
Mr. Hottie left his books on the counter and caught up with me in a few easy steps, his long legs carrying him further than mine. "Given how fate keeps bringing us together, maybe we should get some coffee and talk about our respective research. Though I'm sure yours is infinitely more interesting than mine."
"Don't you need to check out your books?"
He shrugged. "I'll order them on Amazon. Easier that way."
"That must be nice." The words slipped out before I could stop them.
"What must be?"
"Nothing." I wished I could order all I needed with a click of a button, but he didn't need to hear me whine. For that matter, I didn't need to hear me whine.
He grabbed some books from my hand and smiled again. "So, about that coffee?"
"Sorry, I have too much studying to do." I snatched the books back as he pushed open the library door for me and I walked past.
I could smell the leather from his jacket, taste his cologne on my tongue, and it sent a shiver up my spine that I ignored. I had no time for bad boys in leather jackets who read business books for fun.
"You sure? It's just coffee. Surely you need caffeine to accomplish all that studying."
I didn't want to tell him the real reason. I always paid my own way on dates, even coffee dates, and I couldn't afford a cup of coffee at the moment. "Can't. Have to study." Which was true. My job started in two days, and I had to prepare. "But thanks for the offer. Maybe I'll see you around."
His eyes stayed on me as I walked away. I knew because I glanced back and he winked at me, like he knew I'd look. Damn his cocky, arrogant self.
I'd missed the bus in all that flirting and resigned myself to walking home with books that weighed about three hundred pounds.
The shadows of trees lining the sidewalk lengthened as the sun set, following me like nature's ghosts. I was lost in my thoughts when the revving of a motorcycle startled me.
It was him. Of course Mr. Hottie Bad Boy would be driving a motorcycle. A shiny, pimped out Harley by the looks of it. Those things didn't come cheap.
"Hey Law School, at least let me give you a ride home. You can wear my helmet." He held it up as proof as he slowly kept pace with me.
"It's illegal to drive that slow, you know. And my name isn't Law School."
"Then tell me your name so I know what to call you."
We were drawing attention from others going on their evening walk, so I moved faster hoping he'd forget about me and drive away. "You shouldn't call me anything. We don't even know each other."
"Which is why you should tell me your name," he said over the sound of his engine. "I'm Ash."
"Ash? What kind of name is that?"
"Ashton Benjamin Davenport the Third, if that makes it better. Thus, Ash."
I scanned him over again, surprised by the blue blood sound of his name. His messy dark hair needed a cut and he could do with a shave, though maybe he was cultivating that scruffy look on purpose. Some girls liked that. He wore nondescript jeans and a leather jacket over a shirt that had the name of a band I'd never heard of on it.
"Your parents must have had high hopes for you with that name." I turned right at the corner, and he followed.
"They did. I've let them down at every turn, but had fun doing it."
"Is that all that matters to you? Fun?" I knew guys like this. The have-fun-at-all-cost kind of guy who didn't take anything seriously. He probably drank too much, screwed anyone with tits and couldn't hold down a job to save his life.
"People take life far too seriously. You look like you could use some fun. How about instead of reading about sex, you do some hands on research? I'll magnanimously volunteer myself as the first guinea pig."
I stopped, stunned by his boldness. "Are you kidding me? I don't know you from Adam, and you think I'm just going to hop on your bike and go home with you? You're a lunatic. I don't know what kind of girls you're used to being around, but I am not what you're looking for."
I stormed off, insulted by him even as I envied the abandon with which he approached life. It must feel good to not care about the rules.
"You might be exactly what I'm looking for, Law School. See you around."
When I turned, he had disappeared into the traffic, and I felt a moment of regret for not telling him my name.
It was better this way, I told myself. I didn't need a guy like him in my life.
Chapter Six
Call Me Cat