Dynasty (Boys of Winter 1)

My eyes become hooded as I watch the excitement bubbling up in his eyes, making them sparkle with danger. The teacher ignores us, and I wonder if he hasn’t noticed or just knows better than to tell these guys where to go. “That’s cute.”

“What’s cute?” Cruz murmurs, his tongue slowly running across his bottom lip, making me wish that I could suck it into my mouth and bite down hard.

I lean forward, almost as though I have a secret, and the intrigue in both their eyes seems to grow. “That you think that you could handle me,” I whisper. “Trust me, you couldn’t even come close to satisfying a girl like me.”

Cruz leans over the front of his desk and I suck in a breath as his fingers trail down the side of my face. He takes my chin, gripping it between his thumb and forefinger before bringing his face right in front of mine, his lips so close that I could finally bite it if I had the nerve. “Wanna make a bet?”

His voice is a whisper that brushes across my face, and for a second, I’m left completely speechless. Most guys would have given up. They would have floundered under the pressure and run away with their tails between their legs, but not this guy. Cruz is the kind to meet my challenge with another of his own, and I wasn’t ready.

His hand moves from my chin as he brushes his knuckles over my cheek. “That’s what I thought,” he murmurs before releasing his hold on me and sitting back in his chair. “All talk, no play.”

I watch him for a second longer, damn sure that he’s got me wrong, but if that’s the girl he wants to make me out to be, then that’s on him. “Go ahead,” I tell them both. “Underestimate me. It’ll be the most fun I’ve ever had.”

And with that, I turn back around, leaving them behind me, staring at the back of my head in complete silence, knowing damn well that I just threw down one hell of a challenge, but then, so did he. All that matters is that the two assholes behind me are more than aware that I’m not going to sit back and take their bullshit lightly. I fight back, and when I do, I fight till the death.

I focus on my work, at least, I try to until Knox’s elbow comes ramming across the table and slams into mine. “What the fuck was that?” he whispers with a shocked and nervous laugh. “Do you have a death wish? You can’t go around challenging those guys to pissing contests because, fuck babe, you might be hot, but you’re way out of your league. They will crush you without a second thought.”

I look back over my shoulder, knowing damn well that they’re both listening in on Knox’s warning, and as I meet Cruz’s curious, cocky stare, my bottom lip gets caught between my teeth. Heat floods through me and maybe … just maybe being crushed by a guy like Cruz Danforth is exactly what I need.

The minutes tick by and as they go, I do everything in my power to try and concentrate on the work before me, but achieving that is like achieving the impossible. Knowing these two guys are sitting right behind me and trying to figure me out is like some sort of challenge that I feel like I’m failing.

I ignore everyone and everything around me, and do nothing but focus on my work, and after a long, painful hour, the two assholes stand and step around their tables. My whole body tenses.

The guys slowly walk back around, passing close to me just as they had earlier, only this time, they’re a little more obvious about their bullshit intimidation tactics. Grayson passes first and as I glance up, I find his heated stare already on me. His eyes narrow, and for some reason, he looks as though I just climbed into his car, dropped my pants, and pissed all through it. There’s no love here, and for a brief moment, I wonder what the hell I did to get on his bad side.

The thoughts are gone a second later when Cruz passes and he stops by my side. His hands come down on my desk as he leans over me, his face coming way too close for comfort. I feel his breath on my skin, and in an instant, goosebumps begin tingling their way over my body.

My head tilts, and as I bite my bottom lip and meet his gaze, I know that Knox was right. This guy will crush me like a piece of trash beneath his shoe, but fuck me, I’m going to let him. Cruz doesn’t say a word, just allows his eyes to roam over my face, taking in every little curve.