Avery’s gaze dropped, and I knew she wasn’t paying a damn bit of attention to what was coming out of my mouth even though she was staring at it. Not that I was complaining. She could stare at my mouth all she wanted.

Those thick lashes swept up and our gazes locked once more. A sudden, tangible pull spread out between us. Neither of us moved, and I wanted to. I wanted to pull her into my arms. Where the whole slowing down things went to I had no idea. She moved, visibly uncomfortable, and the good, decent part of me said to look away, to crack a joke and make her feel better, but I couldn’t resist the lure of her eyes. In the darkness, they were like black pools.

I forced myself to say something. “You think you learned anything about the stars?”

There was no response, which was probably a good thing, because that was lame. So I went to what I really wanted to know. “Have you ever been on a date?”

Still no response.

My lips curved up. “Are you listening to me?”

Shortcake blinked like she was coming out of a daze. “Huh? Yes! Yes. Totally.”

There was no mistaking she was feeling what I was feeling. Not when she had stared at me that long. “Yeah . . . so, you haven’t been on a date?”

“What?”

I chuckled. “You really haven’t been listening to me at all. You’ve been too busy staring at me.”

“I have not!”

“Yes, you were.” I nudged her shoulder.

The expression she made was like she tasted something bad. “You are so beyond the acceptable level of arrogance.”

“Arrogant? I’m just stating the truth.” I tossed my notebook aside and leaned back on my arms, watching her. I couldn’t resist teasing her. It was like finding a new hobby. “There’s nothing wrong with staring at me. I like it.”

She gaped at me. “I wasn’t staring at you. Not really. I sort of . . . dazed out. That’s how thrilling talking to you is.”

“Everything about me is thrilling.”

“About as thrilling as watching your tortoise cross a road.”

“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.”

“Keep calling me sweetheart and you’re going to be limping.”

Ah, I liked that. “Oh, listen to you.”

“Whatever.”

“We should do it.”

Her lips puckered. “Do what? Go home? I’m all about going home, like right now.”

I smiled. “Go on a date.”

Six

Shortcake stared at me like I’d just suggested that we strip naked and run through the cornstalks. She snapped her notebook closed and grabbed her bag. “I’m not sure I’m following this conversation.”

“It’s really not that complicated.” I laughed at her hateful look. “We should go out on a date.”

She stared at me a moment and then shoved her notebook into the bag with lethal force. “I don’t understand.”

Why wasn’t I surprised that she didn’t understand? Lying back, I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the bones pop. I watched her gaze sweep down the length of me, getting hung up on the skin exposed between my shirt and belt.