Page 31 of Burning Embers
As soon as she’s out of sight, Jake drops his forehead to the table with a groan.
“I’m pathetic, aren’t I?” he murmurs, his voice muffled from where his mouth is squished against the wood.
“She seems…nice?” I try.
Dec snorts. “She’s the devil incarnate. I honestly don’t know why you’re into her, man.”
“Because I hate myself,” Jake huffs out forlornly, still keeping his forehead pressed to the table.
“Besides, you know that girl has her sights on Ashton and his friends…not that they give her the time of day.”
“I know, I know, okay? I’m a pathetic excuse for a human being in love with a literal demoness.” Jake reluctantly pulls his head up from the table and levels Dec with a frosty glare. “Happy?”
“Very.” Dec slides his gaze towards something just over my shoulder. “And speaking of the devils…”
“Hey! Izzy, right?” a familiar voice exclaims from directly behind me.
The rush of heat from before returns with a vengeance, liquifying my veins.
“Ethan.” I try to play it cool, but I’m sure my cheeks are an even brighter shade of red than Jake’s.
I don’t want to admit even to myself how desperately I wanted to see Ethan. I can’t say for certain why, though. Sure,he’s sexy, but I’ve known a lot of hot guys over the years. There’s just something about him that seems to innately reel me in…
Today, he’s dressed in a simple blue T-shirt that conforms to his muscular physique. His blond hair has been styled away from his face, emphasizing his sharp cheekbones, plush lips, and vibrant green eyes.
He absently pushes his glasses farther up his nose as he slides onto the bench opposite me and beside Dec.
“Hey, man,” Jake greets, extending his hand to do a bro fist-bump thing.
“Hey.” Ethan’s gaze shifts to me, and I swear a blush creeps along his cheeks.
Is he just as nervous as I am? No. I find that hard to believe. Not when he looks like that.
“So how’s your first day treating you, Izzy?”
“I didn’t get lost, so I call that a win.”
Jake snorts. “You’ve also been following me around like a besotted puppy. Do you think you can find your way back to your locker if I wasn’t here to guide you?”
I playfully swat at his arm. “Are you accusing me of being directionally challenged?”
“If the shoe fits…”
“Oh. Jake gave you a tour of the school already?” Ethan questions.
Something in his tone has another flood of liquid heat cascading through my veins. Am I mistaken, or does he almost sound jealous?
However, when I meet his gaze, his timid grin is firmly in place, not a single hint of malice in his sparkling eyes.
“He attempted to.” I smirk at Jake before returning my attention to Ethan. “He got distracted more than once talking to people.”
“It’s not my fault I’m a popular god,” he huffs petulantly.
Ethan snickers. “Keep telling yourself that, man.” Turning towards me, he smiles sweetly and extends a hand. “Can I see your schedule?”
“Oh, yeah, sure.” I slide it over to him, and he immediately lowers his head to look it over.
I take the moment to study him. The mussy blond hair, impeccably styled. The sharp features chiseled from limestone. His voice, as smooth as cognac and just as addicting.