Wilder

“Five. I have five,” he corrected me, looking like I’d killed his puppy.

“He’s also a know-it-all. He’s all about challenges, doesn’t take no for an answer—”

“Except from you,” he muttered.

“—and likes pushing people outside their comfort zones.”

“I also speak fluent Spanish, German, and Greek, but that seems pretty trivial,” Paxton added with a shrug.

Cocky, arrogant…ugh. I couldn’t even think of a less-offensive word to describe him.

Dr. Mae cleared her throat, poorly stifling a laugh. “Wilder?”

He gave me a crooked grin, and I reminded myself not to melt into a puddle in front of the class. Hell, if he gave that grin out any more there would be a pile of panties in front of him in no time. Thank God I was wearing pants. They were an extra layer of protection.

Even your pants would join the pile if he really wanted. I was so screwed.

“Leah is a junior, majoring in international relations at Dartmouth. She wants to get her Masters in International Relations and is currently ranked second in her class, which means I think she’ll get into whatever grad school she wants. She’s an only child, raised in California, only a dozen miles away from my house, actually—”

“How?” I whispered.

He leaned to the side and whispered in my ear, “If someone actually agreed to strap into a zip-line when they were terrified, and they held your future in your hands, don’t you think you’d Google them?”

I should have been flattered that he’d taken the time to research me, but I couldn’t get past the giant knot in my throat, the crippling sensation of complete paralysis. He’d Googled. What else did he know? How deep had he dug? Did he see pictures? Would his cool, flirtatious condescension turn to pity? God, I’d rather he ignore me completely than pity me.

“She’s had to work for everything she has, and that makes her proud, ambitious, which is a trait I recognize.” He looked over and locked eyes with me. “And she’s incredibly brave, which I respect above everything else.”

I swallowed, my emotions so conflicted that I wasn’t sure how to respond. Or breathe. Yeah. I was screwed.

Distance. That was it. Remember the plan. I needed to distance myself from Pax and the other Renegades when I wasn’t in class or tutoring him. Find a different circle of friends, or even a guy I might be interested in. Yup, that was the answer.

I made it through World Lit and headed back to the room during our two-hour break. Paxton walked me to the door and then promised to meet me before physics.

I walked in to find Hugo in my room, hanging up clean towels. “You don’t have to do that,” I assured him.

“You don’t have to tutor Wilder, either, but we both have jobs to do if we’re going to stay on our little trip,” he responded with a wide grin. “Besides, as people go, I lucked out when I got you. My friend Luke got Zoe.”

“Oh God.”

“See? I’ll fetch your towels all day long.”

I laughed. “Fine, but only if you show me how to work the freaking espresso machine.”

“I could make it for you,” he offered.

“Oh, no thank you. It’s honestly part of my routine.” The part that told me the day was coming for me whether or not I wanted it to, so I may as well hit the ground caffeinated.

He snapped his fingers and ran over to the machine, showing me with quick hands how to get my early morning caffeine fix.

“Perfect, now I’ll feel right at home. Thank you.”

“Speaking of at home, why haven’t you unpacked?”

I sipped my coffee, reveling in the dark taste. “Because I wasn’t certain I was going to keep the suite, honestly.”

“And now?” he asked.

“Given the rather odd circumstances of my scholarship, I don’t think I have a choice.”

His shoulders sagged with obvious relief. “Phew. Okay. I was scared you’d quit and they’d move Zoe in here.”

“You’re safe,” I promised him with a smile.

“In that case, I’ll go work on getting you unpacked.”

“No, I can—”

The doorbell rang.

“There’s a doorbell? Seriously?” It must have been Paxton, but we weren’t expected in class yet.

“Ah, how the other half lives.” He grinned.

“I’ll get it,” I said, walking over to the door and opening it to find Penna standing on the other side, two giant bags in her hand.

“Thank you, God,” she muttered, sliding in past me. “Which bedroom is empty?”

“The first one on the right,” Hugo answered.

“What…” I followed her into Rachel’s room, and she dumped her bags onto the bed.

“Oh, nice, it has a private balcony, too. Does yours?”

“Yes,” I answered. Benefits of a corner suite, I guessed. Not that I’d explored it. The huge one that ran between my room and Paxton’s was quite enough, thank you.

“I couldn’t stay in that room one more night, with the music, and the girls, and the fucking cameras. Pax said the cameras aren’t allowed in here, right?”

“Right…”

“Well, then I’m your roommate until your other one arrives. God knows if I have to listen to one more girl cry out Landon’s name I’m going to vomit. It’s like hearing your brother’s porn. Gross.”