I pursed my lips. The laughter in his voice said otherwise.
Right, an accident, I wanted to say. Like the time he stuck his foot out and tripped me on the way to Ethan’s room. I nearly tumbled down the stairs. Or all of the times between classes where he accidentally mowed me down in the hall. Or the way he spilled his drink all over me at lunch just last week.
“It’s amazing how a ball accidentally hits me square in the face at lightning speed.”
Carson crossed his heart with his finger and held it out.
I rolled my eyes. “Regardless, because of you and your little accident, we’re headed to Mrs. Parks’ office, so thanks for that.”
“Actually, I’m pret
ty sure that was more on account of you trying to strangle me.”
My eyes flickered from his face to his neck, which was slightly mottled. Good. He deserved to have red splotches. My eye felt like it had been attacked by a swarm of bees. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about assessing the damage, but I wouldn’t give Carson the satisfaction of stopping in the bathroom to take a look.
“I wouldn’t have wrapped my hands around your neck had you not slammed a basketball in my eye socket.”
Carson grinned. “Hey, you know basketball isn’t my sport.”
I grunted. Everyone knew basketball wasn’t his sport. He was the king of Sweet Water’s swim team.
“Nice excuse,” I said, then began walking again as he hurried to catch up. “You better hope this doesn’t get us detention.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed his shrug. “It’s just detention.”
“Just detention? You don’t even care that we’re in trouble, do you?”
“Won’t be the first time. I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
“Well, isn’t that a winning attitude. But this is the first time for me, actually. And it will be the last.”
He scowled. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot who I was talking to. Can’t have anything marring little Miss Perfect’s reputation.”
We neared the principal’s office, so I paused. “I’m sorry. Some of us have to actually study, get good grades, and have good behavior if we want to succeed. Not all of us can get a free ride just because we know how to swim. Some of us don’t have things overlooked simply because we’re athletic.”
It was an understatement. Carson was a pretty decent cross-country track runner, but he was unrivaled in the water. The boy was born with gills.
He scoffed. “I don’t just know how to swim.”
I smirked as my underhanded dismissal of him hit its mark.
I placed my hands on my hips and watched as he defended his title.
“I’ve won State two years in a row and set the Sweet Water record in all of my relays. Plus, I plan on breaking all of those again this year.”
“You’re so modest. I’m surprised you can even swim with that giant ego of yours weighing you down. How does it fit inside your swim cap?”
Carson snorted, and I turned back to the door. Before I could wrench it open, his hand came down over mine. It was big and warm and sent a flurry of nerves jumping in my stomach. I smothered the swell with my annoyance and glanced back at him.
His expression was serious, maybe more so than ever before. “It really was an accident.”
I hesitated, staring into eyes the same color as the pool water he practically lived in, and for a moment, I thought he might be genuine.
My gaze raked over his messy dark hair, the hint of facial hair over the sharp edge of his jaw, and his muscular arms, and I swallowed. Who was I kidding? This was Carson Brooks I was talking about.
Glancing away from him, I shoved the door open and went inside.
CHAPTER TWO