ARIA’S POV
My heart stops beating.
Of all the people in this school who could have found my list, it had to be Xander Reed. The tattooed bad boy who makes teachers nervous and girls blush just by walking down the hallway.
I lunge for the paper, but it’s too late. He’s already read enough.
“‘Make out with a stranger,'” he says, leaning against my desk with that lazy smirk of his. “You really wrote that?”
My throat feels like someone’s squeezing it. “It’s none of your—”
“‘Get caught doing it,'” he continues, clearly reading from memory now. His dark eyes meet mine. “You’ve got some serious ambition, Carson.”
Heat floods my face. I try to grab my things and bolt, but he places his hand on my chair, blocking my escape route.
“Move,” I say through gritted teeth.
“You’re gonna need help with these,” he says, his voice dropping lower. “Lucky for you, I’m really good at breaking rules.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Sure you do.” He tilts his head, studying me like I’m some kind of puzzle he’s trying to solve. “Half the stuff on that list? You can’t do alone.”
I’ve only ever seen Xander from across hallways or cafeterias, always surrounded by his crew of equally intimidating friends. But up close like this, he’s even more handsome than I realized. His dark hair falls perfectly across his forehead, and I can see the edge of a tattoo peeking out from under his rolled-up sleeve.
For just a second, I’m tempted to say yes. But then reality crashes back in.
“I have a boyfriend,” I say coldly.
He doesn’t even blink. “Do you though?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, if you had a boyfriend who was taking care of business, would you need to write a list like this?”
My face burns hotter. “You don’t know anything about my relationship.”
“I know you’re sitting here writing fantasy lists instead of living them.” He shrugs. “Just saying.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m honest. There’s a difference.”
I stand up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. “Just give me my list back.”
“What’s the magic word?”
“Give. It. Back.”
“That’s three words. And none of them were please.”
This is exactly why I hate guys like Xander Reed. They think everything’s a game, that they can just toy with people for their own entertainment. I’ve heard the stories about him – the parties, the girls, the trouble. He’s exactly the kind of person my mom warned me about.
“Look,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady, “I know you think this is hilarious. Poor little Ari Carson with her pathetic fantasy list. Go ahead, tell everyone. Add it to all the other things people say about me.”
Something flickers across his face. “What other things?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. The fat girl. The weird girl. The girl who sits alone at lunch.” I cross my arms. “So go ahead, make your jokes. But give me my list back first.”
“Who calls you that?”
“Everyone. Including you, probably.”
“I’ve never called you anything.”
“Right. Because you’ve never noticed me before today.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
I blink. “What?”
“I said you’re wrong. I have noticed you.”
My heart does this weird skip thing, but I ignore it. “Whatever. Can I please have my list back?”
“Of course you can have it back.” He holds the paper up high above his head. “Just reach up and grab it.”
I stare at him. He’s at least six inches taller than me. There’s no way I can reach it.
“You’re kidding.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“I’m being helpful. Think of it as motivation to go after what you want.”
Against my better judgment, I reach up, stretching as high as I can. My fingertips barely graze the bottom of the paper.
“Come on, Carson. You can do better than that.”
I jump a little, reaching higher. Still nothing.
“This is stupid,” I mutter, but I try again anyway.
This time, I have to get closer to him to reach higher. Way closer. Close enough that when I stretch up on my tiptoes, his face is just inches from mine.
Close enough that I can smell his cologne – something woodsy and warm that makes my head spin a little.
Close enough that when he looks down at me, his breath fans across my face and I actually shiver.
For a moment, we just stare at each other. His eyes are this incredible shade of green, with little gold flecks I never noticed before. His lips are curved in the slightest smile, like he knows exactly what effect he’s having on me.
Then I remember who I am and who he is, and reality slams back into place.
I grab the paper from his lowered hand and step back quickly.
“Thanks,” I say stiffly.
“Anytime.”
I shove the list back into my book and gather the rest of my things as quickly as possible.
“Ari,” he calls as I head for the door.
I stop but don’t turn around. “What?”
“The offer stands. When you get tired of writing about it and want to start living it… you know where to find me.”
30
