An Instant Attraction

Chapter 42

I force myself to get up early this morning so I can finish reading the chapter for my nutrition class. I have a feeling that we'll probably have a quiz, so I want to make sure I'm at least familiar with the content of the chapter. I'm trying to be as quiet as possible so that I don't wake Kristin, but I do need coffee if I'm going to absorb any of the material. I grab my textbook and carry it out to the living room. I brew a quick cup of coffee in the kitchen then take a seat on the couch to read. The chapter is actually pretty short, so I finish reading quicker than I anticipated.

I set my book down on the coffee table and hop up from the couch to grab a banana from the kitchen. I make myself a second cup of coffee and then head back into my bedroom. I start to peel my banana and take a small bite as I pull open my dresser drawer. I'm hoping to make it over to the fitness center this afternoon, it's been too long since I've made an effort to workout. I grab some workout pants, a sports bra, and a pair of socks. I pull my gym bag from the closet and throw the clothing along with my sneakers into the bag. Back at my dresser, I pull out a pair of jeans and my oatmeal colored tunic and I set them on my bed along with a clean pair of cotton panties and my white lace bra.

I walk into the hallway and take the last couple bites of my banana, then toss the peel into the kitchen trash and set my empty coffee mug into the sink. I turn and make my way to my real destination, the bathroom. I splash warm water on my face and pat it dry with a small towel before pulling out my make-up bag and carrying it back into my bedroom. I slide out of my cropped sweats and pull off my tank top, replacing my pajamas with the clean clothes I had set out on the bed. I open my make-up bag adding eyeliner, mascara and a little lip gloss to my face. As I'm pulling the brush through my hair, I hear Kristin's door open and her feet pad down the hallway towards the kitchen. I finish with my hair, then slide into my riding boots. I grab my backpack and gym bag, carrying them out into the living room.

Kristin still looks half asleep as she brews her cup of coffee. "You're up and ready to go early," she says.

"I had some reading I needed to do before my class this morning," I explain as I reach for my nutrition book which is still sitting on the coffee table. I watch Kristin add her creamer to her coffee as I place my book into my backpack. She takes her mug and walks back towards her bedroom. "I just need to change and then I'll be ready to go," she says over her shoulder.

I plop myself down on the couch and open Instagram, seeing that I have a notification. I can't help but smile when I see that Dex has posted a picture of us together and tagged me. I hit the small heart button, feeling like my own heart is swelling in my chest. I continue to scroll for another minute looking at a few recent posts before closing the app. I open my message and see that he responded to my message last night, *I can do 12:30 in the food hall if you want to meet for lunch.

I type a quick response, *12:30 sounds good. See you then! 😊

Our ride to campus is uneventful and Kristin and I head in different directions when we arrive, but she says that she'll meet for lunch too. I walk into my nutrition class and my eyes catch on the guy who tried to hit on me. I think he said his name was Jason, but I can't really remember. I say, "hi" and give him a little smile when I walk by. He gives me a small wave in return, but then turns his eyes toward the floor, giving me the impression that maybe he's a little embarrassed by our encounter. Once everyone is in their seats the professor announces that we're having a quiz on the chapter assigned over the weekend, just as I had expected. She hands out papers and gives us twenty minutes to finish before she collects them. She finishes class with a short lecture and then ends up dismissing us ten minutes early.

I slide my backpack onto my shoulders and walk across campus toward the food hall. Dex was right, I definitely need a warmer coat. I'll have to see if Kristin or Courtney want to make another shopping trip with me. I have my head down, trying to move against the wind. I hear someone say my name, and turn to see Kristin. I stop to let her catch up and we continue walking together. Once we're inside, we grab a couple salads and drinks, then we find a table. I almost scream when Dex sneaks up behind me, wrapping his thick arms around my shoulders and planting a hard kiss to my temple. "You scared me," I say as both he and Kristin find amusement in my jumpy reaction. He drops his backpack beside the table and goes to grab a sandwich before sitting down with us. His hand grips my thigh under the table and he gives a light squeeze before starting to eat.