“Nah,” he said, but I didn’t quite believe him. “I just don’t want to see you get so good that you miss out on living.”

I swallowed hard, wondering what was going on with him that would make him take this serious turn. I pushed out of my chair, crossing the room. “You okay, Sean?”

He blinked a few times, forcing a smile. “I’m golden.” He punched me in the shoulder, and I flinched from the sting.

I hit him in the gut, hating that it hurt my knuckles to take the punch. Asshole gym rat.

“Be smart,” he said again. “If I find out you haven’t been?” He glanced behind me, eyes landing on my computer, a vicious smile shaping his lips.

“What?” I asked, panicked. “What will you do?”

He laughed. “You’ll never know until I want you to.”

With that, he spun out of my room and down the hallway to his old one.

I shut the door, the threat ringing clear in my head.

Have fun. Be smart. No traces.

I could handle that and win the TOC, too.

Now all I had to do was figure out something epic enough to beat Amber.

But with the way she somehow managed to be sharp, stealthy, and sexy as hell all at the same time? I couldn’t help but think this might be the one challenge I would have fun losing.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Amber

I dropped my bag on the wooden bench in the entryway and beelined it straight to the kitchen after we’d wrapped up Code Club. I flung open the silverware drawer, grabbed a spoon, and snatched the Nutella jar from the snack cabinet. After unscrewing the lid, I flung it to the side, dipped the spoon into the hazelnut gold, and shoved it in my mouth.

“Bad day?” I jolted at Mom’s voice from behind me.

I spun around to face the bar that connected the kitchen and living room, watching as she eyed me from the other side.

I licked the heaven off the spoon.

“Yes. No, not really,” I said.

“Well, now that that’s all cleared up,” she said, laughing.

I chuckled, too. “You know, some days I just…” I huffed. “It was sexual awareness day today.” Mom rolled her eyes. “Right? And Hannah! I mean, I can never help her. And the school isn’t helping anyone in that department. Pretend like it’ll kill you, that’ll teach ’em!” I did my best principal impression and tossed my spoon in the sink, grabbed a clean one, and dipped it into the jar again.

Mom raised an eyebrow, her gaze following the spoonful into my mouth. “You need a bowl?”

“No,” I mumbled around the spoon. “And then someone totally up and pranked the video at the assembly today.”

“No way. How?”

“Crazy sexy clips blasted over Principal Tanner’s usual one.”