"Do you want to kiss me right now?"
I sucked in a long breath through my nose. If that was an invitation... Except Savannah didn't look like a girl who wanted to be kissed. She must be trying to build an argument. "What's your point?"
"That's what happens when I screw up and make direct eye contact with a guy. They want to kiss me, grab me, trap me. Own me."
I opened my mouth to tell her that was nuts, then looked down at my hands where they gripped her arms, probably hard enough to bruise.
Muttering a curse under my breath, I let her go. "I won't become another of your stalkers. I've felt this way about you for a long time now. I just didn't get it until today. But it's not because of your eyes."
Tears glittered in those eyes, which were begging me now. "Prove it."
She wanted me to leave her alone. Now, when I finally understood the connection between us. A connection I'd fought for years.
"For how long?"
"Until I know for sure you're not obsessed, that you're acting of your own free will."
"And then?" I stepped closer, not touching her, and dipped my head.
Her eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise. Her short, quick breaths puffed against my lips. "That won't happen. When you come to your senses, you won't still feel like this."
"And when I do still-"
"If you do," she corrected in a whisper.
"Then?"
"Then...maybe..."
Maybe. She didn't want to commit to future possibilities between us. But I could see the longing in her eyes. She wanted to believe this was real. All she needed was proof.
"Fine." I pushed the word out between gritted teeth. I might die trying, but I would stay away from her. For a while. But only long enough for her to see that I wasn't like the others. "But in the meantime, you have to do something for me."
"What?"
"Keep your backpack and dance-team bag with you at all times." Her raised eyebrows demanded a reason. I thought fast. "I don't want Stanwick to try to hurt you by putting something bad in them or stealing them. And if you've absolutely got to date someone else, at least try to pick a better guy."
Her laugh sounded empty. "Don't worry, I won't be picking any new boyfriends for a long time. If ever."
Even better, I thought with a smile. I followed her to the cafeteria door.
She jerked to a halt. "Are you following me?"
Because that was exactly what I'd been doing, I took a moment to reply. "No. Just going inside for a cold soda to put on my jaw." Actually, now that I'd thought of it, that sounded like a great idea.
With a face full of glaring doubt, Savannah continued into the cafeteria.
I let her go, stopping to duck behind my still-seated sister for cover as well as to steal Emily's half-full soda.
"Ah," I sighed as the cold can both hurt and began to numb my aching jaw.
"What happened?" Emily demanded when she saw my face.
"Got a mirror?"
She took a makeup compact from her purse and pretended to check her lipstick so I could sneak a peek at my reflection over her shoulder.
"Huh. It actually looks like it feels." I stuck the can back on it, gritting my teeth against the pain.
She snapped the compact shut. "Well? Are you going to 'fess up?"
"The official story is...football. Really rough practice today."
"Except you don't have football until after school and yet somehow got this way at lunch, genius."
Hmm, good point. "Okay. Suggestions?"
"Only if you promise to fill me in on the truth later."
"Deal."
"Okay." She sighed. "It was football, all right. But the amateur kind with a bunch of freshmen, you don't know who, outside during lunch. You were running for the ball and hit a tree face-first instead."
Of course her story would have me looking like a complete idiot. But it would do. Grinning, I gave her shoulders a quick squeeze. "Genius. And our parents worry how I'll turn out."
"Get to class, heathen. And I want a full report after dinner tonight."
"Uh-huh, sure thing." I returned her soda then ducked out the nearest exit and took the shortest route possible to my third-period class. Along the way, I braced myself for the torturous wait ahead.
Sometimes, not knowing really was better. Because now that I knew exactly what Savannah Colbert meant to me, I suddenly had no clue how I would hide it. And not just from the Clann, but from her, too, for as long as it took for her to see that I wasn't one of her stalkers.
Knowing how hardheaded she was...this might take a while.
CHAPTER 10
Tristan, four weeks later...
I was obeying her wishes. The wait really might kill me, though.
I'd played like crap today, and my body ached from the punishing tackles I'd endured because of my lack of focus. Because of her-the only reason that could make this kind of pain worth it. I didn't usually hurt this much even after a game against our toughest rivals. Thankfully the wait would be over soon. Her stalkers hadn't made it two hours after making eye contact with her. Four weeks of ignoring her was more than enough time to prove I wasn't one of Savannah's stalkers.
No more secrets soon. No more hiding how I felt about her. No more following stupid, unexplained rules from the Clann.
I was just stepping out of the locker-room shower when I felt that unmistakable ache tugging at my gut and chest. But what was Savannah doing here at the field house? Usually one of the other Charmers managers came to the field house for ice for the injured dancers.
"Female in the house," I roared out the warning a little louder than usual. After all, this time it was Savannah coming in. Good thing you could only see into the locker room if you looked through the hall doorway a few yards past the ice machine. As long as we guys either covered up or stayed out of sight from the door, she wouldn't get flashed while she filled ice bags.
I sat on a bench out of view from the hallway, dried off with a few quick towel swipes, then pulled on my boxer briefs.
"Well, hellooo, baby," Dylan called out.
I looked up. Dylan was standing nude and minus a towel in front of the door.
"Dylan!" I barked, half rising from the bench as quick anger rushed through me.
Laughing, Dylan jerked his blond bangs out of his eyes then sauntered over to the bench.