“Why?” Isha said, glaring at Jaya now, probably having sensed where she was going with this. “Don’t you have people from your own grade to talk to?”

Jaya was opening her mouth to issue a stern warning about disrespecting your elders when Grey’s voice cut across hers.

“It’s a great idea,” he said behind her.

Jaya turned slowly, still smiling through her rising temper. Never in her life had she met anyone who could get under her skin like Grey Emerson. He was a very tall, extremely well-dressed splinter. It was beginning to give her a headache. “I beg your pardon?”

“It makes more sense to take a heavier class load your sophomore and junior years, so you have a lighter senior year,” Grey said. “Plus, Isha clearly has a natural talent for robotics. She knows a lot more than most Robotics I students do at this time of year, so she won’t be behind.”

“That’s exactly what I said!” Elliot beamed, apparently proud of himself for having thought the same way as Grey Emerson.

“Smart,” Grey answered in an offhand way, and Elliot looked like he was ready to pop with pride, like one of those poisonous puffer fish.

“Okay,” Jaya said, still trying to be congenial even though the vein in her temple felt like it was going to explode. “But we just transferred in, and I don’t want Isha overdoing it.” She made a meaningful face at her thickheaded little sister. “Remember when we talked about that… sweetheart?”

“You worry too much,” Grey said from behind her.

Jaya snapped her head around to glare at him. What? What? Who did he think he was, the worry police? What concern was it of his if she fretted over her only sister? Like he should even talk after what his family—

“Yeah, you worry too much,” Isha said. “Ooh, is that the new Rihanna song?” she added suddenly, because obviously she had the attention span of a gnat. Grabbing Elliot’s arm, she dragged him off to the dance floor, saying, “Let’s get the whole group to dance together!”

Jaya watched her go for a moment and then put her fingers to her temples.

“May I suggest a pair of clamps to cut the cord?” Grey said, and she heard the derision in his voice.

She turned to him. “Forgive me for caring about my sister’s reputation,” she said more harshly than she’d intended. If the intention was to seduce him, fighting with him certainly wasn’t the way.

There was a pause during which Jaya tried to get her breathing back under control. Don’t let him get under your skin, Jaya. Burrowing is for leeches, not tall, handsome British aristocrats.

Grey smirked. “So I’m a handsome leech?”