Best I Ever Had

She takes the bag and is thanking him profusely when he looks around her to find me. “You Cooper?”

“Yes.” I’d stand, but the short pajama pants knock points off my clout.

“Thanks,” he says, holding up his phone. “Biggest tip I’ve ever had.”

I nod. “No worries.”

Story says, “Stay safe.” She closes the door and twists around toward me with a knowing grin glued to her face. “Thank you.”

“He deserved it.”

We sort through the bag and take our meals to our respective areas where we’ve each set up our stuff. The tacos are tasty, and I finish mine a lot faster than I would have expected.

“You were hungry.”

“I was.” No long story will get this paper finished, so I turn my full attention to the screen and get back to work.

Just shy of the two-hour guesstimate, I wrap up this son of a bitch. With my hands behind my head, I rock back in the chair as relief washes through me. I’m ready to celebrate, so I swivel around. “I just—”

Bundled in a mess of blankets and pillows, Story is curled onto her side and sound asleep. There’s so much about her that I’m drawn to, but I still can’t pinpoint what it is besides her obvious beauty. I’ve been with a lot of pretty girls. It’s kind of standard fare for me.

Something deeper, buried in the treasure of her eyes, tightens the pull to her. A need to not just get to know her but also to protect the innocence that remains. She looks at me like I’m not the bad guy, like I’m not the person so many have already deemed me to be.

She has a weakness for trouble, and unfortunately for her, I have a fondness for her. Maybe it’s like what Story said and the gods have already plotted our fate. Are we just puppets who need to go along with it?

I rub my eyes that burn from staring at a screen for too long and then run my hands through my hair.

My family would love her. My friends would think she’s cute. She’s everything I could use for damage control with the Atterton University’s professors to graduate on time. They’d think I turned over a new leaf.

I’m not above using someone to get what I want. But I won’t take advantage of someone who has pure intentions. Fuck. I don’t even know this girl’s last name, and I’ve already decided she needs protecting. From me.

She may be good for my image, but I’m bad for hers.

I get up, needing to get back to my life and out of hers, and check on my pants. They’re still damp, so I set the dryer for another thirty minutes, then return to the desk.

I quietly pack my bag but then sit to wait for my jeans, not sure what to do other than stare at Story while she sleeps, making the most of the opportunity. I lean into it, resting forward to get a better look. Her dark lashes cast a long shadow over her cheekbones, and her lips have a sweet bow at the top that I wouldn’t mind tracing with my tongue.

As much as I want to act like our meeting tonight is a coincidence, more than one event has brought us together. What are the chances that we were in that film at the same time last October? Or that we were within twenty feet of meeting at my party last summer? Unlike what she thinks, I have a feeling fate is telling us we’re not meant to be together.

Since when did I listen to authority?

Story’s lids flutter open, and she stares at me as if she’s still dreaming. When the edges of her lips roll upward, she says, “You’re here.” Her voice straddles the line of sleep and reality.

“I am. I just finished my paper.”

“That’s great news. Congratulations.” Something in her voice and in her sweet expression is so honest, so genuine that I can’t help but wish things could be different between us.

I can’t be the good guy she deserves. Based on what I know about her past dating relationship, I already know she’d be willing to travel the path I’d drag her down if I let her.

No, I need to get out of here before she does my head in by making me doubt my decision. I stand, already packed and ready to go, except my jeans are still drying. I’ll take them wet if it means saving both of us the trouble of what comes next.

But then she asks, “Do you want to stay?”

Fuck.

4

Story

Cooper is different.

I remind myself not to hold my past against him. I hope he can offer me the same favor in return. Some can’t. If I can find out earlier, it’s better for both of us to walk away unscathed.