Your Loyal Servant

(13) Matchmaker?

I had to remind myself I was the one talking to Brick and not just an onlooker watching as he held a conversation with someone else. I swallowed and told him, "Uh, yeah, that's me."

He laughed, and I had forgotten what a beautiful sound that was. He let go of my shoulders and stuffed his hands into his pockets, exclaiming, "You must be a pretty amazing girl if you managed to get a guy to bow at your feet like that."

My eyes widened as I gazed at him in disbelief. Unlike everyone else who jumped to the conclusion that I was sleeping with The Freak or had paid him to do that just for the attention, he assumed it was because I was amazing.

And this is why I love you.

My cheeks continued to burn, and I had to look away from his powerful eyes. I mumbled, "Oh, uh, I don't know about that."

He flashed that smile of his that kicked my heartbeat up a few notches and pushed me, being playful. "Hey, any girl worth bowing to must be amazing. It's the logical conclusion, right?"

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling like an idiot, and chuckled. "Well," I started, trying my hand at flirting, "when you put it like that, I guess you're right."

And now I knew flirting was not my talent, and it tasted funny on my tongue.

"Don't sell yourself short," he told me, demanding my eyes to focus on him again. "See you around, Rosie." He winked, and went on his way with a wave.

I followed him with my eyes until he disappeared from sight, and then I let out a dreamy sigh. My heart was fluttering faster than a hummingbird's wings, and my mouth was dry.

One, Brick had winked at me—that was enough to last me a lifetime. And two, he had given me a nickname: Rosie. Admittedly, it was too girly for me, since I didn't act like a Rosie or even really look like a Rosie, but it flowed so easily from his mouth and sounded so amazing in his voice, I wasn't going to complain.

When I turned back around, still grinning from ear to ear, I caught sight of a blond head and two silver eyes, and my smile disappeared. I did not like that goofy smile on his face.

I called, "What are you looking at?"

He walked up to me, an annoying twinkle in his eyes, as he admitted, "I've never seen that side of you before."

It was true that Brick brought out a different side to me. He made me get in touch with my feminine side—for whatever reason. It drove me crazy how girly I acted when he was in the room, but he was so gorgeous I didn't even care.

I stalked away from him, towards the vending machine, muttering, "Shut up."

He pivoted on his heel to walk after me, and he insisted, "I mean that in no disrespectful way, Rosalind. It was rather refreshing to see you in such a sweet light."

Whipping around to glare at him, I whispered, voice harsh, "What's it gonna take to get you to shut up about this?"

Still smiling, he assured me, "It will never be repeated."

I scrutinized him a moment, until I realized he would take something to the grave if I told him to. Satisfied, I faced the vending machine once more. I felt his eyes on me as I bought a carton of grape juice, and I could tell the sparkle in his eyes was amused. I demanded, "What?"

That damned grin on his face was beginning to irk me. He informed me, surprisingly smug, "I might have a plan developing in my head."

After sipping some of my juice, I crossed my arms over my chest, lips pursed, and admitted, "I don't like the sound of that, especially coming from you. And I think a more appropriate word is 'brewing'—a plan is brewing. Makes it sound more sinister, like it actually is."