One More Dance by Roxanne Rustand (best ebook reader for pc txt) 📗

If Kate hadn’t needed to talk to them, she would’ve rolled her eyes at their clonelike supercilious air and gone on her way.

“You...need something?” the tall blonde asked, glancing at her watch.

“I saw you. At the fraternity party a few weeks ago. And...um...Jared Mathers was there.”

“You’re the one who was chasing him after Hilary dumped him!” She gave her friend a triumphant look. “See? I told you. Hilary was livid when she heard about it.”

“Why would she care if she dumped him?” Kate felt her face warm. “He looked upset. I just went over to talk to him.”

The two girls exchanged glances, then the shorter one snickered. “R-i-i-ght. Not like he’d be a target for every last gold digger on campus, or anything.”

The temptation to fire back a sharp retort nearly consumed Kate. “I just need to tell him something,” she said evenly. “Today. Would you know where I can find him?”

“Believe me, sugar, you don’t stand a chance, so don’t waste your time.” She glanced above Kate’s shoulder, and her eyes lit with amusement. “The Mathers family would see to that. Right, Jared?”

Laughing, the two girls strolled away.

Kate felt the warmth in her cheeks turn to fire as she slowly turned and found Jared dismounting from a sleek ten-speed not more than three feet away. He’d probably heard every last word.

She froze, unable to speak, wishing she could simply die right on the spot.

But instead of finding disgust or mockery in his eyes, she only found sympathy, and embarrassment that nearly matched her own. “I...wasn’t trying to find you so I could hit on you or anything,” she managed after an awkward pause.

“I know,” he said wryly. “You’ve made that pretty clear.”

“I mean, you seem like a great guy and everything. I’m just not really looking right now, with school and my job and homework and all. I—” Babbling. I’m totally babbling here. Really cool, Kate.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, then caught a glimmer of a smile tilting his mouth. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually run on like that. What I needed to tell you was that guy at the store plans to press charges if you don’t show up tonight to pay for the merchandise or work it off.”

His smile faded. “I plan to be there, just as I said.”

“He sure doesn’t think so.”

“Then I guess he’ll be surprised.” Jared’s gaze slid away, toward the Walker Chemistry Building. “He’s got a brand-new employee for the next two nights. I gave him my word, along with my watch.”

Surprised, Kate studied his profile. The set of his strong jaw suggested that he possessed a lot more backbone than she’d expected in a pampered rich boy, though the tick of a small muscle in his cheek betrayed his stress.

“Um...do you, like, need a loan or anything?” It was probably a foolish question, yet something wasn’t right here. Maybe he’d blown his fancy allowance from home.

He gave her a startled look. “A loan? I...pay my debts on my own. But it was nice of you to offer.”

“You could pay me back.” The sooner the better, or there’d be no groceries on her table this week or next. But from the decisive shake of his head that wouldn’t be an issue. “I guess that’s a ‘no’?”

His faint smile returned. “Right.”

The look of stubborn pride on his face conveyed far more than his words, echoing the same kind of determination she’d developed herself over the years. She had no right to pry into his personal affairs, and once again, she felt her admiration and curiosity deepen, coupled with an unexpected sense of connection.

And maybe he felt it, too, because he tipped his head and studied her, his eyes warm and deep and compelling, as if he were seeing into her very soul. “You aren’t like any girl I’ve ever met,” he said finally.

A little embarrassed, she ducked her head. “Understatement of the year?”

“No—I mean it.” When she looked up, he held her gaze with his. “Go out with me Friday night. Please?”

A flash of panic hit her. “I can’t.”

“Saturday?”

“Sorry. Really—I have to work all weekend. And I’ve got a ton of homework, and...”

“Please?”

His voice lowered, and the note of vulnerability won her over when nothing else would have. “Well...”

“Nothing fancy...Maybe a movie at the dollar theater? Pizza?”

He was all wrong for her. She’d been down this road before, and it had led to heartbreak and humiliation because of who she was and where she’d come from. But she suddenly knew that if she didn’t grab this chance, she’d regret it for the rest of her life. What could be the harm with just one simple date?

“Saturday, then? But it would have to be after nine.”

“Deal. I’ll pick you up at your place, nine sharp.” He climbed onto his bike and grinned at her. “Don’t forget.”

She watched him disappear across the campus and felt her heart turn to lead. Just talking to him did funny things to her insides.

Made her imagine things that couldn’t be.

Made her temporarily forget why any relationship—especially with someone who would have so much to lose—was impossible.

Nope, she wouldn’t forget. But between now and Saturday night, she was going to think up a perfect excuse...

Or maybe she’d tell him the truth.

CHAPTER FIVE

KATE’S RESOLVE VANISHED when Jared appeared at her door at nine o’clock Saturday night, with a tentative smile and two tickets for a campus production of Much Ado About Nothing, starting at nine-thirty. He was dressed in khakis and a black polo shirt that emphasized his broad chest and biceps. Just looking at him nearly took her breath away.

He stared down at her, his eyes darkening and his smile fading. “You are,” he said quietly, “the most intriguing person I’ve ever met. I thought I’d find a note on the door saying that you couldn’t go.”

She bit back a laugh. “Actually, I wrote one, but tore it up a few minutes ago.”

From somewhere back in the apartment, Deanna called out, “I made her