Tutoring the Bad Boy

He Knew My Name

Emma

He knew my name. I couldn't believe the hot-as-hell guy sharing an elevator with me knew who I was.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. Tapping at the screen, he held it up for me. There was a string of texts—the same texts I had on my phone.

"You're Ryan? The guy who needs help with his biology class?"

The door swooshed open, causing strands of hair to flutter onto my face. Ryan reached out, his finger skating across my cheek, causing heat to bloom in my core.

I bit my lip as he tucked my brown hair behind my ear. I was so lost in his touch that I barely noticed the door closing on us.

His corded arm reached out and held the doors back. "Yup. I'm that Ryan. We could talk about it in here or sit at a table in the stacks." His smoky-gray eyes darkened as they fell to my lips. "Of course, we'd have more privacy if we stayed in here."

Swallowing, I shook my head. I forced myself out of the tiny elevator and onto the second floor. I felt the heat from his body on my back as he came up behind me.

"I was thinking we'd study back by the magazines." Frowning, I suddenly realized that the seclusion of that section wasn't such a good idea anymore.

"Perfect. No one ever goes back there." He lowered his head, and his hot breath tickled my ear as he whispered, "Lots of privacy to do whatever we want."

I took a shuddering breath, my body on fire. Ugh, Madison was totally right. Based on his actions, I knew he wasn't good for me.

He moved past me toward the tables in the back corner but stopped, sensing I wasn't following. He turned.

I sucked in a breath. His lips curled into a wicked smile as if the devil was waving for me to follow, and my core ached to do exactly as he demanded.

I gave a little head shake and moved toward him. There was no way I could tutor him. I might have needed the money to pay for living expenses, but I could find another job. Though nothing paid as well as tutoring at Winter River. A lot of spoiled rich kids went here and would pay anything not to fail a class.

While I got a scholarship that paid for most of the tuition, it didn't pay for my dorm—the tutoring did that. Since my mom died when I was five years old, my dad had worked hard to support me and make sure I had everything I needed.

I refused to let him pay for all my college education, and I took out loans to cover what I could. He warned me about paying the loans back once I graduated, cautioning that some people were still paying back education loans a decade or longer after they graduated.

That was the last thing I wanted. I applied for every scholarship I could and lucked out with the one I got. It might take me a few years to pay the loans back once I graduated, but not a decade or more.

"This seems like a suitable spot." Ryan waved to the small desk butted up against the wall with two blue plastic chairs side by side.

"Uh..." I glanced around and noticed no other desks nearby.

Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh. Damn it. Opening my eyes, I accepted the fact that, for the next few minutes, while I told Ryan why I couldn't tutor him, part of my body would be pressed against his. There was no way we could both sit in those chairs without touching.

He pulled out a chair and waved for me to take a seat. It surprised me that he was being so nice. Even when Matt and I met, he never held open a door or pulled out a chair for me.

I gave a small grin and took the seat. "Thank you."

He even helped me push it back in.

Was he normally like this with girls, or was it just me?