Untouchable (Untouchables, 1)

“I guess I have to be,” I admit, fingering the envelope. “Don’t you want some proof I can do the job or something, though? I’ve never written a review before. Shouldn’t I submit some kind of writing sample?”

“I mean, it’s not rocket science. If you’re at a loss for how to write a review, I can direct you to a few good ones so you can get a feel for it. But no, you don’t have to try out. I had you in mind for the position, so if you want it, it’s yours.”

“Well, thank you,” I say, sliding the envelope under my tray. “Do I have to attend the newspaper meetings?”

“Nope. You can if you want to, but it’s not required. You’ll be a designated book reviewer, so you won’t need to be there to get assignments or any of the other stuff concerning the paper. You’ll do your own column, submit it, and that’s it. It really won’t require much from you. I’m sure you would be reading the books anyway, now you’ll just have them paid for and you’ll write a little block of text about it.”

“That’s awesome.” I flash her a smile. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

Kasey smiles. “No problem.”

I start eating my lunch, thinking about which book I’ll read for my first review. Kasey doesn’t seem to mind my preoccupation and we eat in a companionable silence. She checks her phone from time to time and eats her own lunch, and overall it’s a pleasant trip back to the lunch room.

At least, until the seat beside me is suddenly occupied, and I look up to see Luke sitting there. I don’t mean to gape at him in horror as he flashes me a smile, but I do. My gaze jumps across the cafeteria to Carter, and he is looking right at me, a fry frozen mid-air on its way to his mouth.

Oh, my God.

“Um, I—you can’t…” I shake my head, trying to clear out some of the panic. “I’m so sorry, you can’t sit with me,” I tell Luke.

Rather than look offended, Luke merely lifts his eyebrows in surprise. “Why not? This seat reserved for someone else?”

I don’t feel like I have time to explain. Just the fact that he walked over here is going to be incriminating, but for every second that he sits here, Carter is going to be more convinced I really am dating Luke. I don’t know what he can actually do to Luke, but I really don’t want to find out.

My skin feels hot with the adrenaline surging through me. I try not to look at Carter even though I’m tempted. I don’t want to look even more like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jaw. “Luke, please. I’m not tryin’ to be mean or rude, I swear I’m not, but you need to go back to your table right now.”

He doesn’t move. Instead, he picks up half of his turkey sandwich from his tray like he’s going to start eating. “I might, but you haven’t said why.”

“Carter,” I blurt. “We—we just broke up and I don’t want to rub his face—I mean, not that there’s anything between you and me, but he might think….” Sighing, I say, “Just please go sit with Grace.”

“Ah.” Luke nods, but his expression remains determined. “Carter already told me to stay away from you. Turns out, Carter’s not my boss.” Looking at me more pointedly, he says, “Or yours. You broke up. Why does he have any say who you spend time with?”

“It’s complicated,” I tell him, stealing a glance at Carter. He’s still watching, his eyes darkened with devious intent. Fuck. “Please. I don’t want trouble, Luke.”

“There shouldn’t be any trouble,” he insists, stubbornly. “You’re not in a relationship with him—”

“It doesn’t matter,” I interrupt, since he’s wasting time. “He has a mean streak you might not have seen, but please trust me on this. You don’t want him for an enemy.”

Luke doesn’t move. “I can’t believe you’re letting him control you like this,” he states.

My jaw drops. More that Luke would actually say that to me than anything else. “I’m not letting him control me.”

“Yes, you are. He clearly threatened you and that’s why you’re trying to shoo me away. He threatened me, too, but here I sit.” Unscrewing the cap on his bottled water, Luke suggests, “Maybe I’m not as boring as he thinks I am.”

I cringe. I don’t know what Carter actually said, and I’m too embarrassed to ask. I don’t know if I’m more embarrassed over the possibility of what Carter might have said, or just for Luke in general. I don’t even know how to respond to that. I don’t want to verify that Carter called him boring, but it sounds like Carter said that to him. God, I can only imagine what Carter might have said. And he had my panties! My face flushes about ten different shades of red as I run through the possibilities.