Love and Lies Read Online Free Page A

was headed in the same direction. Sorry about the asshole.”
    “ It’s not your fault. I’m okay now. Really. Thank you again.”
    I started to walk away, but stopped when he called my name.
    “Can I ask you a question?” he asked
    “ Yeah, I guess.”
    “ Did I do something?”
    What did he mean? I stared at Eric, trying to figure out how to answer. My brow furrowed. “I don’t understand. What do you mean, did you do something? You helped me with that guy.” I pointed to the group a few feet away.
    Eric shook his head. “No. You don’t like me. Why?”
    Oh. That.
    The slow breath I released gave me a chance to piece together exactly what to say. Coming out with the truth would have been more awkward than necessary.
    “ Let’s go to the café. I haven’t had any coffee. Since I don’t want to walk into class late I might as well skip.”
    “ Okay.”
    We walked side-by-side, silent. The quiet wasn’t uncomfortable; I didn’t have a burning need to talk to him. Although, I won’t deny a small burn started in my belly being so near to him. He looked so darn good. He once again wore jeans, although these were looser than some of his others. Both knees had holes worn in in them, not like the ones you bought at the store. He’d actually worked in these. They had to be comfort jeans if I judged the additional worn spots on the front pockets and the frayed seams at the bottom. His T-shirt looked as worn as his jeans, and I knew from when he’d held me close how soft it was.
    He smelled like fresh rain with a hint of woods. I wanted him to pull me close again, tuck me into his side. Well, that’s what my body screamed. My head told me to be wary. Keep him at arm’s length. While my uncertainty about him had eased, it seemed it wasn’t gone.
    Inside the café , we commandeered the first table we could find. This time of the morning was busy with students coming and going, grabbing pastries and coffee before their first class or between their first and second. It was a small place. The counter took up about half the area, leaving room for a couch and chair and a few small circular tables. Each round table had two or three chairs for people to gather around and chat. If someone wanted to study, this wasn’t the place; there were always too many people talking to concentrate. But they made the best coffee on campus and had pastries I could live off of. Their beignets were the best in the country, hands down. The place always smelled like cinnamon and sugar. I imagined being in my grandma’s kitchen when I was there. Or what a grandma’s kitchen would be like, if I’d had one who baked.
    “ What would you like?” Eric asked.
    “ You don’t have to get me anything. I’ll get it.”
    “ My treat.”
    “ Well, okay. If you insist. A medium coffee au lait and a couple of beignets. Thank you.”
    “ No problem. I’ll be right back.”
    It wasn’t long before Eric came back to the table, beignets and coffee in hand. He must have had some magic with the baristas—I’d never have made it through the line as quickly as he did. As I took a bite of the warm, powder-sugared beignet I didn’t even try to stop the moan that slipped out.
    “ A fan, huh?” He laughed before taking a drink.
    “ Oh yeah. Impossible not to be. You’ve had these, right?”
    “ I admit, I haven’t. Today’s my first.”
    I waited while he took his first bite. His eyes actually rolled back , and the corner of his lips turned up into a smile. Oh yeah, Eric was hooked. I smirked then returned to eating my own breakfast.
    “ So, tell me why you don’t like me.”
    “ It’s not that I don’t like you. It’s just…well, I don’t know how to say this. So I’ll just lay it out there. You’re from the city. You scored a single in the same hall as Logan, despite your major being dance and his music. Somehow you worked your magic on Logan, and he befriended you immediately. It’s all a little too coincidental. Surely you can