Page 63 of Chasing Headlines
“You have ID?” A little smirk toyed with his lips.
I frowned. “Seriously?”
“I have to check ID.” He sat back and tucked his hands behind his head.
I shrugged. Not like I gave a shit. I pulled my student ID out and held it up. He didn't look at it. “State or federal.”
I stared at the card. “It's issued by a state institution.”
“Nope. Needs to be a State of Texas issued ID card, drivers' license or federal passport.” He was full-on smirking. Like he'd won. Hah.
I dug into my purse for my wallet. “You're not getting rid of me.”
“I will outlast you. I promise?—”
I slapped my drivers' license on the counter. He opened his mouth to say something, then his eyes fell on my hard-won and very official Texas drivers' license. Spent a whole, bland daytime television day in Lubbock County to get it.
“You actually?—”
“Yeah, Cooper. I got aTexasdrivers' license.” Adrenaline turned my blood hot and my acrobatic stomach flipped into a pool of simmering stew. “Figured I was going to be here for four years, and it's not like I have anyplace else I'd call home.”
He frowned and pushed the license back at me. “Fine. Go find your interview.” He fixed me with razor-sharp look. “Try being human.”
I seethed. “Look who's talking, ass.”
“Bite me.”
“No thanks.” I snagged my license. “I hear you're poisonous.” I called out over my shoulder as I walked away.
Ugh! How could one person be so aggravatingly obnoxious and-and! Irritating, smug, a total asinine jerkwad. I got to the door, yanked on the handle with a huff, but it wouldn't open. I tried again, but it didn't budge. I took my temper out on the door for a half a second, pulling and jiggling and mentally willing the blasted thing to magically open.
I turned and puffed hair out of my face. “Do you need to unlock the door or something?”
“I'm on my lunch break.” His mouth twitched. He gestured at an apple perched on the edge of the counter, then picked it up, studying it. “You'll have to wait. Or you could leave.” He bit into it.
Another time I might have admired those thick, juicy lips practically kissing the pinkish-tan flesh of that fruit. His tongue darting out of mouth as he bit into juicy, crispy appleness. My stomach growled, when did I last eat?
He dropped his head toward his shoulder as he chewed. His eyes had the nerve to twinkle as he stared. And my traitorous skin flushed hot all over.
I wanted to wring his neck, take his apple and kiss him—into next week.
Or just wring his neck. Argh!
Instead, I smiled through pressed lips and batted my eyelashes. “I can wait. It'll give us a chance to spend more time together.” I shrugged and took a few steps toward him. “I'll just pull up a chair and keep you company while you eat.” I grabbed my phone from my purse. “Or, since I can't meet with Mrs. Schreiber, I could just, you know, interview you, Cooper.”
His Adams apple bobbed in his throat. “No comment.”
“Stop being a child and let me in.”
He took another bite of apple and chewed.
God, I hated him. He left me no choice but to do exactly what I'd threatened. I moved to grab a chair from against the wall. As soon as I picked it up, a buzzing sound rung out. The click of a lock. Ah-ha! I turned and shuffled toward the door. I grasped the handle, and?—
Ca-clack. I pulled. Locked.
“It only stays unlocked for a few seconds.” He made a 'tsk' sound. “Guess you missed it.”
I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath. He'd done that on purpose. “Would you please open the door, again?”