Page 36 of Stranger to Love

She groaned but fought a massive smile on her lips. She was cute. I did really like her. Not like I was going to fucking start taking her to dinner, but like, if she wanted to do this again, I’d absolutely be up for it.

We stepped into the lift together. She pressed the button, and as the heavy doors began to close, she looked over to me and raised an eyebrow.

“What?” I asked with a slight chuckle.

She shook her head and looked straight at the doors in front of us. “What sort of morning were you having?”

I grinned and rolled my eyes. “I’d rather think about the morning I’ve just had.”

She didn't say anything, just tucked her hair behind her ears. The doors opened on the ground floor, and she bustled out quickly, not looking back as she rushed toward her seminar room.

I watched her go. Fuck, my ego was huge. It took me like five minutes to have that woman locking her office door. Good for me.

I chuckled as I turned away, and I was pretty sure my entire chest caved in as I met Dr. Carter’s gaze.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up. She looked fucking murderous. Her eyes flicked to the hallway Blondie had just disappeared down before she turned away, her heels clicking aggressively across the reception floor as she left the building.

Oh shit. I mean, we weren't doing anything, just in the lift together. Yes, okay fine, I was fully ogling her as she walked away. Technically, that just made me a perv rather than inherently doing something wrong. But fuck, she looked absolutely furious.

Chapter 9

Alex

“Not happening,” I answered, balancing my phone on my shoulder as I stirred Mum’s coffee.

“Oh, come on!” Mia pleaded on the other end. “I know you don’t have a class till lunchtime tomorrow. You could still get a full night’s sleep even if you don’t get home till 2 a.m.!”

“I’m not fucking going out tonight!” I hissed.

She went silent for a beat. “You’ve changed,” she said, her tone an exasperated yet playful whine.

I groaned. Yeah, I had. I didn’t want to risk fucking university up. But she wasn’t wrong; we hadn’t been out in ages, and a Thursday night actually wasn't so terrible. It was usually full of an older crowd, and the vibes were always good at Carlos—the only bar we ever went to outside of work. It was a little more high-class than The Dam or Amor; we wouldn't be caught dead in either of those unless we were on the clock.

“I need you as my wingwoman,” Mia pleaded.

Ah, right. There was the catch. I groaned. “Wingwoman?”

“Adrian wanted to go out,” Mia explained quickly. “He’s got a friend staying with him, so he asked if I could bring a friend too.”

Adrian. The guy from the bar she went home with. According to Mia, he’d blown her fucking mind enough to warrant regular dates. Honestly, I was happy for her; he was older and didn't treat her like an object or a piece of arse, so I could get on board with it.

“You want me to go on a fucking date with some dude?” I asked, trying not to gag.

“No!” Mia said quickly. “Just as a buffer. I don’t want to be outnumbered.”

I sighed. Yeah, okay, I didn’t want her to be outnumbered either.

Then she added, her voice brightening up, “Plus, it's your birthday tomorrow! Since we’re both working the actual day, this could be like a birthday thing tonight!”

She tried to pitch it cheerfully, even though she knew damn well I didn't celebrate my birthday.

"I am not paying for a single drink," I said flatly.

She practically squealed down the line. “Deal! Thank you, I love you! I’m going to call Adrian—we'll pick you up at nine!”

“I hate you,” I said bluntly.

“Nope, you love me with your entire heart.” She blew a kiss through the phone and hung up.