The Freshman (College Years 1)

“Like you want to murder me in your sleep?”

“Like I want you naked in my bed,” I say.

He tenses up. I watch it happen. Is that a good thing? Or a bad thing?

The server returns to check on us, and I immediately wish he’d leave. He starts talking with Tony like he knows him, and they keep up a three-minute conversation while I’m over here squirming in my seat, absently snacking on edamame.

I just told Tony I basically want t

o have sex with him, and I’m dying to know his response.

The server finally leaves, but Tony says nothing. He takes another drink. Leans back in his seat, practically sprawling in that way a confident man does.

Yes, I called the eighteen-year-old a man, because he is quiet and patient and has this ease about him that is both incredibly attractive and absolutely annoying. He doesn’t act like any guy I’ve ever met before, and he’s frustrating me.

“Did you hear what I said before we were interrupted?” I finally ask.

He slowly shakes his head. “Repeat it.”

Is he playing me right now? “You asked if I wanted to murder you in your sleep.”

“Oh. Right.”

“And I said I want you naked in my bed.”

“Again, not a very friendly thing to say, Hayden.”

“It’s overly friendly,” I stress.

“Nope.” He shakes his head. “You’ve completely left the friend zone with that statement.”

I see the amusement dancing in his dark eyes. I sort of want to throttle him.

“You mentioned friends with benefits.” I pause. He nods. “Is that offer still on the table?”

Yes, I went there. How can I not? He’s in my thoughts constantly.

“Are we negotiating a deal right now, in the middle of Wasabi on Fire?” He glances around before returning his gaze to mine. “My dad would be proud.”

“We can’t negotiate public deals. Our fathers would kill us.”

“My dad probably has someone tailing my ass right now, and he’ll report back that I was with a certain Hayden Channing.” Tony grins. “I’m sure he’ll call and chew my ass out later.”

“Your father actually has someone tail you?” I’m shocked.

“Sometimes.” Tony shrugs, like it’s no big deal. I would be so pissed if my father did that.

“That’s such an invasion of privacy.”

“I’m sure your dad has the Find My Phone app.” He inclines his head toward my phone, which is currently sitting on the table. “He’s tailing you constantly.”

True. How often does he check it though?

Probably more than I think he does.

I change the subject and ask him about football, vaguely humiliated that Tony wasn’t readily agreeable when I mentioned the friends with benefits scenario. I wasn’t lying earlier when I told him I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He was on my mind for the rest of the night. I dreamed about him. Uncomfortable dreams where he rejected me and I chased after him. I felt bad about my reaction to his age, yet here I am, reacting about it all over again. It’s dumb.

I’m being kind of dumb.