“It’s my goal in life,” I said lightly. “Fuck off now, thanks.”
Jared glared; if he had psychic powers, my head would be exploding like a melon right now. “This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Max growled.
With one final hate stare, Jared bailed, apparently buying the idea he was about to be busted, even though he was technically the victim in this scenario. If he wasn’t a total idiot, he’d realize he had the legal high ground here and could make Max’s life uncomfortable by pressing charges. Near the science complex, he turned and yelled something but I couldn’t make it out, then he rounded the corner.
Max watched him go, hands still curled into fists at his sides. “Dipshit is probably carrying. I can’t believe I was dumb enough to ask you to meet him.” Turning to me, he took my hand, his expression serious. “What happened exactly? How did the date go?”
“About like this,” I said quietly. “He made it pretty clear I don’t meet his standards so I clocked out early. Ended up auditioning for Racing Sorrow and hanging out with the band last Friday.”
“So that’s why you were so late. It was evil of you not to text me when I thought you were with that guy.”
“You have terrible taste in men,” I told him.
Bending to kiss me, he whispered, “But awesome taste in women. So that makes up for everything, huh?”
“Almost.” I touched his cheekbone. “Does it hurt a lot?”
“Kinda.”
“Nobody’s ever fought for me before. Is it unenlightened to say...I didn’t hate it?”
“Probably. But I won’t tell. You ready to go?”
“Yeah, but...is that why you’re here?”
He nodded, leading me toward the parking lot. “I’ve memorized your class schedule like a good boyfriend. I’m here to pick you up.”
“Wow, are you writing a manual?”
“Obviously. The Dummy’s Guide to Dating.”
“I’m pretty sure someone already wrote that.”
“The title’s a work in progress.” Twining his fingers through mine, he swung our hands slightly, giving me a soft, sweet smile, at odds with his battered face.
“You took a hit in the mouth, too, huh?” His lower lip was slightly swollen, a bruise forming just below.
“Worth it. Do you plan to kiss it better?”
“Would you want me to?”
“Always.”
If he kept it up, I might actually blush again and I was not that girl. “So tell me what you have planned tonight.”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Come on, I have to know how to dress or I’ll be the idiot in stilettos on the nature hike.”
Max laughed. “Like you even own a pair of heels.”
“You make a good point. Maybe I could’ve sold that better with ‘I’ll be the moron at the fancy restaurant in combat boots.’”
“Closer,” he admitted, “but you look hot in anything, so don’t worry. And no, I’m still not telling you.”
“And you say I’m cruel.” But I was smiling as I put on the helmet and climbed on behind him.
The bike started with a roar, and Max drove away from campus toward the apartment. By the time we got home, I’d worked up a fine resentment. How the hell was I supposed to get ready for something when I had no idea where we were going or what—
“Stop with the cranky face,” he said as he parked.
“Make me.”
“If we go down that road, all my carefully laid plans will go to waste.”
“Are you saying you’d use sex to improve my mood?”
“I’d have sex with you for any reason.” Max grinned as I hopped off the motorcycle, and I struggled against the urge to grab him by the ears and kiss him until he couldn’t breathe. “Is that wrong?”
“Not from my point of view.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a hint. Dress like you usually do.”
“That helps. Let’s get you upstairs, bruiser. Before we go anywhere, I’m taking care of your war wounds.”
“Really?” He gave me the softest, brightest smile.
Linking our fingers, I led Max upstairs. Kia was on the couch surrounded by charts and papers, feet propped up. That was a pretty unusual sight this early; she glanced up at Max’s face and cocked her head. “Somebody threw down, huh? Want me to take a look?”
That made sense since she was studying to be a doctor, but before I could answer, Max shook his head. “Courtney’s got me covered.”
Shooting him a surprised but pleased look, we went down the hall to the bathroom he shared with Angus. I flipped down the lid of the toilet. “Here, so I can reach you.”
“It’s funny because you’re so tiny and adorable.”
“Say it again, I dare you.” As I got out the first aid kit, I pretended to threaten him with a bottle of iodine.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Maybe I should’ve let Kia do this. But Max wanted medical attention from me, despite my inexperience. So I held a clean washcloth under the faucet, then wrung it out and dabbed the blood away. Under the bright lights, his face looked even worse, yet...he was also the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. His thick lashes fluttered against his cheeks, a strange, dreamy smile curving his mouth.
“What’s that look for?”
“Since I left home, I’ve gotten into plenty of fights, but I never had anybody take care of me afterward before. It’s...nice.”
My throat tightened. “Don’t make a habit of it. You’re too pretty to let assholes use your face as a punching bag.”
“Yeah?” He smiled up at me like I was sunshine, rainbows and pot of gold, all wrapped up in one. The feeling that swelled in my chest nearly stole my breath.
“Definitely,” I managed to say.
With exaggerated care, I finished cleaning him up and applied antibacterial ointment to his cuts. For his bruises, I dug out the arnica cream, though Max seemed skeptical. But he still tilted his chin up, letting me coat the sore spots. As the last step, I carefully applied a Band-Aid to his cut. Once I finished, he stood up and wrapped his arms around me. His chin rested on top of my head briefly, then he rubbed his undamaged cheek against my hair.
Max whispered, “Don’t give up on me, okay?”
“Are you nuts, why would I?”