but the look of determination on her face hadn’t faded. “You tell me what you have to say to Jules, and I’ll decide if it’s worth her time. If it is, you can talk to her later, when she’s ready.” Over his shoulder, she caught my eye and mouthed Go.
I practically sprinted down the hall and the steps, running smack into Jesse as he came through the double doors into the lobby.
He caught my arms to steady me, smiling down. “You really do know how to make an entrance.”
“Sorry. I was trying to save you from the throngs of freshman girls who hang out in the hallways on Friday nights here.”
The dimples popped out, and I sighed. It was an automatic response, one I hoped he didn’t notice.
“I appreciate that. As I remember, freshman girls can be a little intense.”
“You don’t know the half of it. My roommate Ava is a saint. She has so much patience with them.”
Jesse stepped back a little, looking at me. “I like your shirt. It makes your eyes look really green. Since you didn’t get mad at me for saying it the other day, I’ll chance it again. You’re very pretty.”
I laughed. “Any girl who gets mad at you for saying that is crazy. I promise I never will.” I bit my lip. That sounded a little too much. Like I expected him to say it often.
But Jesse didn’t seem bothered. He held out a hand to me. “Are you ready to go?”
I hesitated only a moment before nodding and slipping my hand into his. “Very.”
It was bitterly cold, and I shivered when the air hit me. Jesse dropped my hand and put his arm over my shoulders, drawing me closer to his body heat.
“C’mon, my truck is just up here.”
I had never noticed what Jesse drove since he usually parked in the garage at his dad’s house. I was a little surprised when he led me to an old white Ford pick-up and unlocked the passenger door manually.
“Sorry, my sweetheart is a no-frills gal.” He patted the side of the truck.
“I love it.” I climbed inside and scanned the vinyl seats, the basic dashboard and plastic floor mats. It was a stark contrast to Liam’s Beemer, which almost drove itself. I liked that Jesse opened my door for me; Liam had always just clicked the unlock button from his key fob and expected me to get in by myself.
I leaned over and pulled the lock up on the driver’s door. Jesse opened it and slid in next to me.
“Thanks.” He slammed the door and turned the key, fiddling with the heat buttons and directing the vents my way.
“It’ll warm up in a minute.” He rubbed his ungloved hands up and down his thighs over worn jeans. My eyes tracked the movement, and my mouth went dry.
“Hey, Julia.” Jesse reached across the bench seat, touched the side of my face. I smiled, and he let his fingers move down to my chin. The brilliant blue of his eyes fastened on my mouth before he met my gaze.
“I know this is going to sound corny, and like it’s a line or something. But it’s really not. Which also sounds like a line. When you get to know me better, you’re going to find out I’m not that smooth. But I’ve been thinking about tonight all week. And if I have to wait through the movie, and then dinner and then whatever else we might do, I’m not going to be able to relax and enjoy myself.”
“Wait to do what?” I whispered the words, mesmerized.
“Didn’t I say it? Hmm.” He moved over, his hand going under my hair to cradle my head.
“No, you didn’t say.” His face was so close to mine that I couldn’t focus on his eyes anymore. I closed mine in surrender.
“To kiss you.” His lips were a breath away from my own, and my heart stuttered. “Is it all right? May I kiss you?”
My tongue darted out instinctively, wetting my lips. Jesse drew in a sharp breath.
“Yes. Please.” I barely breathed the words before he moved the last fraction of an inch closer and covered my mouth.
He didn’t mess around with a tentative first kiss. His lips were open, and I was startled to realize
I practically sprinted down the hall and the steps, running smack into Jesse as he came through the double doors into the lobby.
He caught my arms to steady me, smiling down. “You really do know how to make an entrance.”
“Sorry. I was trying to save you from the throngs of freshman girls who hang out in the hallways on Friday nights here.”
The dimples popped out, and I sighed. It was an automatic response, one I hoped he didn’t notice.
“I appreciate that. As I remember, freshman girls can be a little intense.”
“You don’t know the half of it. My roommate Ava is a saint. She has so much patience with them.”
Jesse stepped back a little, looking at me. “I like your shirt. It makes your eyes look really green. Since you didn’t get mad at me for saying it the other day, I’ll chance it again. You’re very pretty.”
I laughed. “Any girl who gets mad at you for saying that is crazy. I promise I never will.” I bit my lip. That sounded a little too much. Like I expected him to say it often.
But Jesse didn’t seem bothered. He held out a hand to me. “Are you ready to go?”
I hesitated only a moment before nodding and slipping my hand into his. “Very.”
It was bitterly cold, and I shivered when the air hit me. Jesse dropped my hand and put his arm over my shoulders, drawing me closer to his body heat.
“C’mon, my truck is just up here.”
I had never noticed what Jesse drove since he usually parked in the garage at his dad’s house. I was a little surprised when he led me to an old white Ford pick-up and unlocked the passenger door manually.
“Sorry, my sweetheart is a no-frills gal.” He patted the side of the truck.
“I love it.” I climbed inside and scanned the vinyl seats, the basic dashboard and plastic floor mats. It was a stark contrast to Liam’s Beemer, which almost drove itself. I liked that Jesse opened my door for me; Liam had always just clicked the unlock button from his key fob and expected me to get in by myself.
I leaned over and pulled the lock up on the driver’s door. Jesse opened it and slid in next to me.
“Thanks.” He slammed the door and turned the key, fiddling with the heat buttons and directing the vents my way.
“It’ll warm up in a minute.” He rubbed his ungloved hands up and down his thighs over worn jeans. My eyes tracked the movement, and my mouth went dry.
“Hey, Julia.” Jesse reached across the bench seat, touched the side of my face. I smiled, and he let his fingers move down to my chin. The brilliant blue of his eyes fastened on my mouth before he met my gaze.
“I know this is going to sound corny, and like it’s a line or something. But it’s really not. Which also sounds like a line. When you get to know me better, you’re going to find out I’m not that smooth. But I’ve been thinking about tonight all week. And if I have to wait through the movie, and then dinner and then whatever else we might do, I’m not going to be able to relax and enjoy myself.”
“Wait to do what?” I whispered the words, mesmerized.
“Didn’t I say it? Hmm.” He moved over, his hand going under my hair to cradle my head.
“No, you didn’t say.” His face was so close to mine that I couldn’t focus on his eyes anymore. I closed mine in surrender.
“To kiss you.” His lips were a breath away from my own, and my heart stuttered. “Is it all right? May I kiss you?”
My tongue darted out instinctively, wetting my lips. Jesse drew in a sharp breath.
“Yes. Please.” I barely breathed the words before he moved the last fraction of an inch closer and covered my mouth.
He didn’t mess around with a tentative first kiss. His lips were open, and I was startled to realize
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