“What’s up, Florida?”

I look up from where I’m watching my toes. I’m leaning back against the wall beside the door of my first class. Aiden approaches me, an easy smile on his face, his shoulders slanting with every step.

He’s surrounded by some of his teammates and they break off into their own group, talking and laughing, but I don’t listen to them.

All of my attention is taken up by Aiden.

Those amber eyes and wavy hair does something to my nerves. Fuck, I’ve seen handsome guys before but he is on another level. Like from a movie.

He leans his forearm on the wall above my head, looking down at me with a heated gaze. He smirks, the dimple in his cheek making an appearance.

I say nothing, too busy studying the soft skin of his cheeks and-

Those lips.

My stomach turns and my heartbeat quickens. I remember the way he kissed Sadie yesterday, the way his hands held her, the way his fingers dug into her skin. I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about that all day yesterday, especially the way it made me feel.

Hot. It made me feel so hot.

It makes me want him, it makes me —

Aiden leans in closer to me, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re looking at me like that because you can’t stop thinking about that kiss yesterday.”

I swallow and look around to make sure no one is watching us, to make sure no one can hear him. Everyone seems to be in their own world though, and I return my attention to Aiden.

He cocks his head and grins arrogantly. “Were you wishing it was you?”

My breath hitches.

Yes. Yes. I’ve never been touched like that, and watching him ignited something inside me. I need to know what it feels like.

My mouth dries and I shake my head.

He lowers his arm, his hand gripping the back of my neck as he pulls my head back. “You’re a horrible liar, Alina,” He whispers into my ear, making my skin prickle.

He has a girlfriend. I have to remind myself. I lick my lips, pulling away from him and ripping my focus from his lips to his eyes.

That doesn’t help me much because his eyes are also devastatingly beautiful.

I twist my head from his hold. “I’m not lying.”

A sly, slow smile curls his lips. “Oh, doubling down are we?”

I inhale, looking to his friends, who are watching us with teasing smiles and wide eyes, before looking back at Aiden.

He was watching me yesterday, he didn’t look away from me. He was kissing Sadie, but part of me feels like he was doing it for me. As weird as that sounds.

I inhale, lifting my chin to look at him more directly and whisper, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re the one that’s been thinking about kissing me.”

His eyes gleam, like a child finally getting the toy they’ve been wanting. He chuckles, his chest vibrating and he steps impossibly closer to me, stealing my air, stealing my space. His cologne washes over me and I press myself closer to the wall. Aiden follows, his nose grazing mine.

“And what if I said I have been thinking about it?”

My breath catches in my throat.

I feel him recoil and he pulls away to look up at me. “Not even your boyfriend’s?”

My cheeks heat, my toes tingling.

Aiden clicks his tongue, and he cocks his head, smiling. “Alina Hanson. When was the last time you had a boyfriend?”

I twist my lips together and his hands squeeze my waist. I shake my head.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never-”

“My brother was really protective,” I blurt.

Aiden stops for a second, his features distorting into a frown. “Was?”

My stomach sinks. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

His eyes go the scar on my wrist and I hide it in my shirt. He says nothing, doesn’t pry and I thank the universe he isn’t like Zaid. He pulls me closer to his chest, keeping his hand on my waist.

“You have a girlfriend, Aiden.”

“That’s never stopped me before.”

I scoff, half-laugh from the shock of his confession. “Wow. That doesn’t exactly make me feel better.”

“I’m just teasing you, Alina.” He chuckles, lifting me from my lap and placing me on the chair beside his.

My heart drops into my stomach. Was I reading too much into this? Into the way he watched me when he kissed her? Too much into the way he almost kissed me in the hallway? Ugh.