Chapter 2
Isaac
“You finally talked to her?” Lance laughs, sipping his cinnamon whiskey. How he can drink the stuff is truly beyond me.
The bar is quiet, and I glance around to ensure no one is in earshot. With how today’s luck is going, Olivia will miraculously appear out of thin air and overhear me.
“Yeah, at the coffee shop, and again in class.”
He shakes his head, grinning. “I still can’t believe you’re sticking around for a girl! You could’ve graduated last semester.”
“You know it wasn’t just because of her.
I was offered the internship of a lifetime.
How could I say no?” I remind him, and take a long pull of my beer.
The only way I can remain in the States and do the internship I was offered is with my student visa—this is my only shot.
It’s just a bonus that I have one more chance to properly get to know the one woman I’ve been obsessing over for years.
“But why the hell are you taking International Politics?”
“About that,” I sigh. “I may have overheard Olivia telling her friend that she was taking it, and Ethics and Transparency. I got into International Politics, but when I tried to add Ethics, I was waitlisted. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop when class schedules were posted. It just sort of happened.”
“A little ironic that you’re talking about ethics and transparency when you just admitted to listening in on her conversation. Damn, you really do have it bad for this girl.”
I can’t help my smirk. “Only a little.”
There’s something about Olivia that’s always stolen my attention.
We’ve had at least one class together for the past three semesters, but I’ve always kept my distance—she’s brilliant and entirely out of my league.
To say it’s a crush is putting it mildly.
She normally keeps to herself in class, and I loved seeing her speak up today.
While my dating life isn’t as busy as Lance’s, I typically have no problem asking a girl out.
Olivia? It’s taken me years to work up the courage to even say hello to her.
Now that I’ve finally braved the impossible, I’m desperate to get to know her.
I’ll only have a semester, but it’s better than nothing.
“Also,” I hedge, “I may have asked her out for coffee.”
He sputters a cough. “You what?”
“Yeah, I asked her out. Gave her my number and everything.”
“You? Gave Olivia Harris your number? Are you feeling okay? Do you have a fever?” He reaches to check my forehead. “Should I call a doctor?”
“Fuck off.” I huff a laugh, mindlessly peeling the label off my beer. “I’m tired of dating women who are only interested in me because of my family or have the personality of an unsalted pretzel.”
“You’re leaving after your internship, right? So how exactly is that going to go? I’d put a hundred bucks on you falling in love with her within a week. You’ll have to break up when it’s over or do the dreaded long distance thing that never works.”
“I know,” I groan. “I had to shoot my shot. It’s not like Olivia will ever—” My phone vibrates on the wood bar. I turn it over, and my heart stops. “Call.”
212-555-9753
I know it’s late, but I just got out of class and was wondering if the offer for coffee still stands.
This is Olivia, by the way.
“Don’t worry too much about it if she doesn’t call,” he offers, his attention fixed on the game playing on the TV behind the bar as I read the text.
“I give out my number a hundred times a week and only about a tenth of them text or call me. If it gets weird in class, you can always play it off like you gave it to her as a friend.” I hand him the phone and he takes a moment to read it before chuckling to himself. “No fucking way.”
He passes it back to me, and I save her number before I reply.
Hey. I thought you don’t call boys.
I’m not calling, I’m texting. And you insisted you weren’t a boy.
That I did. Coffee sounds great, but have you eaten?
I did but it was hours ago.
I’m starving, so if you’re up for it, want to grab a quick bite? I know of a great spot not too far from campus if you’re still there.
I’m still here, but maybe we should do this another time. Honestly, nothing around campus that’s open this late is in my budget.
I’m not going to do this over text. My thumb hovers over the call icon for a moment before I press it.
She picks up on the first ring, hesitantly answering, “Hello?”
“I never asked if it was in your budget, Olivia. I asked if you’re on campus,” I remind her. “And I’m the one who asked you to have dinner with me, not the other way around. My treat.”
“Do you like to treat all of your friends to dinner?”
“No, just the ones I want to be more than friends with. Send me your location and I’ll walk with you.”
“Oh.” The single word comes out as a whisper, then she clears her throat. “Why don’t you get dinner first and then meet me later for coffee?”
“Because I’d like more time with you than just a cup of coffee.”
“Like… a date?”
“Yeah,” I chuckle, unable to wipe the smile from my face. “Damn, I really am terrible at flirting with you.”
“You… want to go on a date with me?”
My brows pinch. “I don’t think I understand the question. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Sorry, my brain must be short circuiting.”
“Tacos sound amazing, but if you’d really rather have coffee, there’s a café that’s still open for another hour.” Lance gestures with his fingers walking—a reminder she’s alone. “I’ll come to you, then we can head over together. There’s no reason to be walking by yourself at night.”
“Do you walk alone at night?”
“No.” I hate lying to her, but the thought of her trekking across campus by herself has me on edge.
“Okay, you win,” Olivia chuckles and sends me her location pin. “Here.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you in a few.” We hang up and I toss twenty dollars on the bar.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ve gotta see about a girl.” I wink and clap him on the back.
“She said yes? You’re really going on a date after all this time?”
“I can’t believe it either.”
He raises his drink. “Have fun!”
I sprint out of the bar and set my phone GPS to track her location.
After following the walking directions for about ten minutes, I find Olivia sitting on the steps that lead to the entrance of a building.
The campus is fairly safe, but seeing her alone with minimal path lighting makes my jaw tighten.
As I approach, she tucks her phone away in her bag, and I can’t help admiring how fucking gorgeous she is.
It’s always like this, nearly starstruck at the sight of her.
After years of admiring Olivia from afar, it never gets old.
I love how she never wears a lot of makeup—a natural beauty and doesn’t need it.
There’s a little coffee stain on her shirt, probably from when she ran into the shop door this morning. It only makes her feel more real.
Closing the short distance between us, she smiles but insists, “You really didn’t need to meet me here.”
“I’m sure you could hold your own, but what kind of knight in shining armor would I be if I didn’t escort you?” I offer my arm. “Shall we?”
Olivia’s grin brightens as she slides her hand into the crook of my elbow. I lead the way to the other side of campus, and there are several restaurants to choose from. I’m hoping she likes Mexican food since there’s a little taqueria not too far from here. It’s casual, but the food is incredible.
“So, what’ll it be? Tacos or lattes?” I ask, glancing down at her as we walk. My heart thunders in my chest being this close to her, and I hope she doesn’t notice. “Whatever you’re in the mood for, that’s where we’ll go. I can eat later if you only want to get coffee.”
“I’m not that hungry, but nachos sound great. Want to split an order?”
“You can have your own.” I huff a small laugh. “And since we’ve established I don’t know how to flirt with you, let me be perfectly clear—this is a date.”
She chews on her lip and sighs, “If this doesn’t go as swimmingly as you hoped, are you going to be weird about it in class?”
“Oh, I’ll make it extra weird.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” Olivia jests with a sweet smile that meets her eyes. I can’t help returning it.
We make our way to the taqueria that’s still open, and while the restaurant is still a little busy, we’re able to place our order after only three other customers.
Even with her salivating over a plate of enchiladas someone else got, she still insists on sharing the nachos instead of getting her own.
We’re able to snag an available table for two, and while it’s great for conversation, I hate how I can’t sit beside her.
I pull a chip full of cheese and meat, then dip it in a little extra guacamole.
She does the same but uses her plastic fork to add salsa.
I lift my chip in a cheers, and she blushes a little as she taps hers against mine.
I love how it doesn’t take much to make her cheeks flush.
As she bites into the nacho, a soft moan escapes her, and while she doesn’t seem to notice, my cock certainly does.
Like a fucking creep, I can’t stop staring at her rosy lips.
Of course now all I can think about is how if I kissed her right now, my own lips might turn a little pink from whatever lipstick she’s wearing.
She’d look just as beautiful if it was smeared a little. Everyone would know she’s mine.
I brush the thought away. I need to take my time with her… and stop staring. I can’t. It’s painful to look away.
Olivia was a little hesitant about coming tonight, and I find myself a bit too curious about why. After a few chips, that curiosity gets the best of me. “We may not know each other well, but I like to think I’m pretty good at reading people. Why were you so worried about dinner?”
She scrunches her nose. “It’s a little embarrassing.”
“Sorry. If you really don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”
“No, no, it’s okay.” After blowing out a long breath, she asks, “Promise you won’t judge me?”