Vanish

Chapter 6

The next evening, Ronan ushered his last student out then slid music sheets into a portfolio. "Your assignment's done?"

I nodded and tapped my cell. "Once I upload this last bit of footage and do some more voice-over stuff, I can hand it in. Ahead of deadline, too."

I inwardly cringed. Could I sound any dorkier? Like he cared about my grades.

"Good for you." His lips curved into a teasing smile and I struggled to quell the heat surging to my cheeks—and lost. "You can still come see me twice a week, you know."

Cue happy dance. "Why would I do that?"

He shrugged. "In case you miss me."

"I'll live," I said, managing to sound drily amused as his grin broadened. "Besides, you'll keep emailing me those killer sax moves, yeah?"

"I knew it." He snapped his fingers. "You're a closet jazz aficionado after all."

Smiling at his antics, I rolled my eyes. "Only because you bombard me with those lame songs all the time."

"You calling me a geek?" He advanced toward me, every step bringing him tantalizingly closer. "And here I was, thinking you were falling for my awesomeness."

"I'm not falling for anything," I said, making a mockery of the lie that tripped off my tongue by taking a step backward when he stopped less than two feet away.

"It's okay, you can admit it." He closed the short distance between us, so close I could feel the heat radiating off his chest, so close I could smell his minty breath, so close I could see a tiny freckle at the corner of his mouth. "You think I'm the coolest musician you know."

"You're the only musician I know." I inhaled deeply, trying to get some air into my lungs, to ease the lightheadedness that having him this close elicited. "And I think you're an egotistical jerk."

He chuckled and I stiffened as his head moved toward me.

Crap, he was going to kiss me.

I forced my lips to relax. Impossible, as I stared at his, edging closer...

My heart rate went into overdrive as I resisted the urge to swipe my sweaty palms against my jeans. I'd dreamed about this and now that it was going to happen...

I wanted to close my eyes, to savor the kiss, but I kept them open, wanting to imprint every tiny detail of this incredible moment.

But his lips never touched mine. He bypassed my mouth, my cheek altogether, to whisper in my ear, "Liar."

No use denying it, considering I hadn't moved a millimeter to avoid our almost-kiss. I didn't think he was an egotistical jerk. I thought he was the hottest guy on the planet. And the fact he was still standing within touching distance made me think he might like me in return.

When he stepped away, I wanted to reach out and haul him back.

His mouth quirked into a teasing smirk, like he knew exactly how much he affected me. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"A history assignment in the library." Sheesh, more of that scintillating conversation. Why couldn't I flirt with him? Have a little fun, rather than sounding guarded every time he asked me a question?

"Then I might see you there." He touched my arm, the briefest, fleeting brush of his fingertips against my sleeve, and my legs wobbled a little.

Unnerved by the fact he wanted to see me beyond today, I blurted, "It's a date."

Damn, could I be any more cringe-worthy?

Wishing a sinkhole would open up beneath me, I fidgeted beneath his intense stare, trying not to gawk at the caramel flecks glowing amid the hazel.

"Perhaps it could be," he said, his voice low, without a hint of teasing. "See you then."

As I watched him stride away, I realized something.

For the first time in a long time, I had something to look forward to.

I couldn't wait for tomorrow.