Fall For You

(32)

As we step out into the parking lot, I glance over at him. His expression is unreadable, but there's something in the way he looks at me—something that makes my stomach flip.

"Let's get you home," I say, trying to keep things light, my tone a little too casual. I reach for my keys, twirling them in my fingers again, but my hand feels a little unsteady.

"Yeah," Alex replies, his voice quiet. "It's probably a good idea."

And for the first time in what feels like forever, I'm not sure if I want this night to end. But I know it has to.

Alex climbs into the passenger seat while I get in the driver's seat.

The car is filled with silence. My fingers tap on the steering wheel. My eyes flick between the road and the rearview mirror as if moving will keep me from noticing the quietness. I could turn on the radio, ruin the silence that way. My mind keeps wandering back to his words, his confession. Gemma, stop it. No feelings. This is a bet. A bet you plan on winning. There will be no getting attached to this loser. Except he's not a loser.

"So," I say, to break the silence. Alex's head turns from watching out the window to face me. "Do you have any plans for this week?"

"To survive it," Alex says as he fidgets with the soft toy koala he won.

"Any reason you think you won't?" I ask. Alex has the whole studying thing down. Why he feels like he won't survive the week is beyond me.

"Harley and Kiera have been hanging around at the dorm a lot, which is fine considering they're fuck buddies, or whatever they call it. It's just distracting, you know?"

I laugh. I don't mean to, but it's just so unexpected. I can't believe that Alex said fuck buddies without choking on his words.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that," Alex says. His face blushes the most gorgeous shade of pink.

"No," I disagree. "You did, and you're not wrong either. Those two are all over each other."

"I don't want to say anything because it's Harley's room too, but surely they could go to her place," Alex tells me.

He's right. He can't exactly kick Harley out. He has been in the room longer. But I remember what it was like when Harley and Kiera first started up. It was gross. No one could stand to be around them. Way too many public displays of lust. It hasn't slowed down either.

I can't believe I'm about to offer this. My mouth is moving before I can stop it, but my mind is screaming to pull back. It's the bet. The stupid bet. That's the reason I'm doing this. The more time I spend with Alex, the more I can charm him. The quicker he falls in love with me, and I win the money that will buy me a one-way ticket away from here.

"You could always come and stay with me." I nearly cringe and take back the words as soon as I say them. Instead, the words come out quickly, before I have a chance to stop them. "I mean, when Harley and Kiera are there, you could come and study at the sorority house."

The more I say, the more pathetic the offer sounds. There are plenty of other places that Alex can go and study. Besides, who says that the sorority house, full of girls, is any better than being stuck near Harley and Kiera?

"Offering to let me stay at your house, you must be really desperate for my company," Alex flashes me a cheeky grin, but there's still a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

"Oh, believe me, I'm not desperate, but I know you have fun with me. We wouldn't want that to stop, would we?"

"I'm not sure how much work I'd be able to get done at your house," Alex replies casually, but my brain does not let me take that sentence at face value.