Goddess Revenge: Goddess Series Book 4 (Young Adult / New Adult) (3 page)

“What are you working on?” she asked, taking in his open books.

“Um.” He glanced down at his books as if they were foreign objects that just appeared on the table. “Calculus,” he said, looking back at Legacy.

She nodded, letting the corner of her mouth twitch. The bell rang then, and they all got up and made their way to chemistry. River carried Legacy’s books, as always.

She made small talk with Calli, so she wouldn’t be forced to make conversation with River, but when they got into class, a sub was standing in the front. Great.

The substitute teacher handed out worksheets and allowed them to work together quietly. She’d been hoping to save any lengthy conversation with River until lunch, but now that wouldn’t be the case. At least she’d have Calli here.

“Why don’t we work together, Calli?” Ellen suggested eagerly.

Crap
. Oh well, Legacy would have to get used to being alone with River anyway. No time like the present to start working on that comfort.

Calli glanced at Legacy with wide eyes, obviously seeking some kind of guidance. Legacy shrugged and turned to her worksheet, working on it alone. She figured she wore the alluring outfit—that was enough of a first step. Legacy had no doubt that River would come over and work with her, so she waited for him to make that move. A sexy outfit
and
eagerness to work together would be too transparent.

“Do you, umm …” Legacy glanced to her side, acknowledging the deep voice. River was standing beside her, holding his worksheet. “Want to work together?”

“Sure.” She moved her books over to make room for him, and he sat down and opened his book.

“I’ve already found the answer to the first one. It’s on page three-oh-two,” she said, looking down as she wrote her answer.

River thumbed in his book and scribbled his reply. They worked diligently, talking about their responses to the questions until they finished and not talking about anything else.

Apparently, they’d worked so efficiently that they finished before everyone else and still had twenty minutes left in class.

River took their papers up to the teacher, and when he came back, he pulled his chair closer to her as he sat down. He tried to be casual about it, but she knew what he was doing.

He put his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together in front of his face. She heard him sigh, and then he looked at her, keeping his hands up as if he were covering his face from everyone else’s view.

“You look beautiful,” he breathed.

She turned her head to look at him fully; his eyes gleamed that beautiful emerald green color. River was a very attractive man. Too bad his personality didn’t mirror his looks. “Thanks.”

She kept her eyes locked on his until he started to smile softly. “What’s the occasion?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” she asked, feigning puzzlement.

“Why are you dressed up?” He cocked his head to the side, leaning against his folded hands.

She shrugged. “I’ve worn all this before, just not together. Well, I think I might have worn it all together last year.”

“Oh.” He nodded.

“Why? Does it look like I’m dressed up to you?” She already knew the answer to that question.

“Yeah,” he whispered. He looked as if he were about to say something else, but Calli walked up.

“You finished early,” her BFF said as she leaned against the table.

“Yep. We worked hard to get it done,” Legacy said.

They kept talking until the bell rang, and then River walked her to their business class. Thankfully, the teacher was there, so they were busy. When he walked her to Spanish class, Calli met up with them, so River hadn’t really talked much since chemistry, but she knew after this Spanish class with Calli, she and River would be together again during history, followed by lunch. The rest of the day would be easy since the only other class she’d be around him in was during gym last period, but since he was on the basketball team, she knew he’d be busy. Getting through school would really be about getting through the first half of the days.

Legacy and Calli talked during Spanish, but there wasn’t much to report. When Spanish was over, River quickly met up with her and took her books while he walked her to history class. Thankfully, they were both busy taking lecture notes all period, so they didn’t have time to talk during that class either.

Then the bell rang for lunch.

Showtime
.

River walked to her desk and grabbed her books. They walked to their lockers before meeting up with Calli. Since they were all on the honor roll, they were allowed to leave campus for lunch, but they needed to ditch their books.

“Ellen said they’re all going to Beef’s for lunch. Want to go?” Calli asked as she and River approached.

“I don’t care,” she said as she looked at River.

“That’s fine with me,” he said. “I’ll drive.”

They walked toward River’s car. “Shotgun,” Calli called out as River reached the passenger door. Legacy figured she did this to keep her from having to sit right next to him.

River lifted the seat so Legacy could get in. Then he moved it so Calli could get in front.

The lunch hangout was just right down the road, but on the way there, Legacy saw River watching her in his rearview mirror. She didn’t look at him, though. She talked to Calli about the new routine the cheerleading squad was going to be debuting during the first basketball game.

At the restaurant, they all squeezed around a table that really needed to be a little bigger to accommodate all ten of them. River sat next to Legacy, of course. She knew he would make sure that’d happen, especially after Calli rode up front in his car. At least part of her plan would be easy since he was so willing to be around her.

Because of how close they were sitting, when she crossed her legs, her right leg brushed up against River’s leg as it dangled over her left one.

River scooted his right leg a little closer to hers, apparently so that it’d be easier for her to brush up against, which she did as her leg bounced easily.

Oh, this was going to be too easy.

Calli sat on the other side of Legacy, so as she leaned over toward her BFF and asked her what she was going to order, Legacy’s leg pressed up against River’s. He leaned back and put his hands on his legs, looking over at the girls.

“I guess the chef salad,” Calli responded.

“I think I’m just going to get a baked potato.” She leaned back in her seat and looked at River. “What do you want?” she whispered, hoping the innuendo had come through loud and clear.

He stared at her while his breathing accelerated, but his expression never changed. “A cheeseburger.”

She nodded and looked down while she crossed her arms just to have something to do.

The waiter came and took their orders, and they all talked to each other and in groups throughout lunch. Why the hell Alex and Laos were here, she didn’t know. But if they didn’t shut up about which one was going to nail Laurel, Legacy was going to reach across the table and stab them with her fork. Hmm… or she could just send a little jolt their way. She shook that thought away so she could stay focused on her object. Seducing River.

After they finished eating, they still had about ten minutes before they had to leave to make it back to school on time. Seth sat to the left of River, so Legacy figured she could use that to her advantage.

She leaned over River, and his eyes flashed to her, watching closely. “Hey, Seth, you ready for Friday?”

“Hell yeah!” Everyone laughed at his enthusiasm.

But then River turned his head so that he was facing Legacy’s direction, putting his nose in line with her neck. She heard a soft groan escape his lips, so she knew he’d gotten a whiff of her perfume. While she was still leaning over him, she lifted her hand up to the side of her neck and gently rubbed it, causing her arm to brush against his chest.

“Who do they play again?” she asked Seth.

“The Bears.”

“Right.” She nodded as she leaned back into her seat.

River put his left elbow on the table, dropped his head into his hand, and looked at Legacy. She glanced over at him, and he smiled. She returned the gesture, but then looked away. She felt River’s hand gently slide onto her knee and realized he’d leaned against the table to block that action from Seth’s view. The only person who could see what he did was Calli because she was on the other side of Legacy, but she’d have to be looking closely.

Legacy shut her eyes briefly, and when she opened them back up, she focused on River’s gaze. He looked at her tenderly, not like she was used to seeing coming from him. Sure, he’d looked at her lovingly before, but usually he’d look at her with intense eyes whenever they had a close encounter. That kind of look would be easier to deal with.

She covertly reached down and placed her hand on top of his. She stroked her thumb against his hand once, and then she moved it from her leg back to his and moved her hand away. She didn’t want it to seem like she didn’t want his hand there, but she also didn’t want River to get away with doing too much too soon.

“We should probably get going,” she said, glancing at River and Calli.

When they headed toward River’s car, he announced it was Legacy’s turn to sit up front since Calli had sat up front on the way, which was fine with her. She turned around and talked to Calli on the ride back, and because of her low-cut top, River had a pleasant view whenever he glanced at her.

The rest of the day was a breeze just as Legacy had suspected. During gym, the basketball team—and River—was busy practicing on the court, so her class was outside practicing golf swings.

Since the basketball team had practice after school, she didn’t have to worry about talking to River again. When she headed to the locker room after class, she saw him glance at her, but she didn’t make eye contact. After changing her clothes and exiting the dressing area, she didn’t even look at the court for fear that she’d get caught looking at him. The day was a success already. No need to push her luck.

Legacy made her way quickly to her car and headed home. She changed into something more comfortable than the sexy ensemble she’d worn to school and started on her homework at the kitchen table. But her concentration was lacking. She couldn’t stop thinking about the damage River had done to her life.

Right as she finished, she heard a knock on the door, so she got up to answer it. When she opened the door, her heart tingled, and she had to force herself not to smile, which felt totally unnatural. Adin always put a smile on her face.

And it didn’t help that he looked incredibly hot. He was wearing loose jeans and a fitted cream sweater that nicely displayed his musculature.

“Hi,” he said softly.

“Hi.”

“Can I come in for a minute?”

“Um, sure.” Legacy stepped aside. “I just finished my homework.” She headed to the kitchen, and he followed.

She started gathering her books as Adin took a seat. When she completed the task—really an excuse for a distraction—she sat across from him.

“How was school?” he asked.

“Hmm…difficult.” She really didn’t know how to answer that question, but from the confused look in his eyes, she realized her response had thrown him for a loop.

“Difficult how?”

She inhaled slowly and shook her head. She was so not going there. “Long story. How was your day?”

Thanks gods he got the hint and didn’t press it. “It was fine. We’re studying for finals. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be finished with this semester. Then I’ll be out for over a month before the next term starts.”

“Over a month? Wow. That doesn’t seem fair.” She laughed.

Adin chuckled. Then he ran his fingers through his hair and leaned against the table, gazing at her. A few seconds passed before he spoke again. “You’re too far away,” he whispered.

“That’s for the best.” She half-smiled at him. Was her heart trying to break free from the confines of her chest?

Standing up, he said, “I disagree.” He walked over and took the seat right next to her.

Legacy sighed and looked down. Being this close to him physically would be challenging, and she knew it. But she’d have to stay detached.

“I miss you like crazy,” he breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

“I know.”

“Let’s do something tonight. I can cook you dinner, or if you’d rather not be alone, we can go out to eat.”

She’d love to do either one of those things, but one date would turn into two, and two dates would turn her into mush. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I figured you were going to say that,” he whispered. Leaning back, he said, “You can pay for your own meal since we’re just friends now.” He grinned.

A startled laugh escaped her, and she shook her head.

“And you don’t even have to dress up. In fact, you’re too dressed up as it is. Go throw on some sweats and a holey shirt.” They both chuckled while they stared at each other.

Adin’s smile faded. “I don’t know how to be your friend,” he confessed.

“I don’t know how to be yours either,” she whispered. She probably shouldn’t have said that, but it was the truth.

“I don’t know what to do here, Legacy. You’re more than just a friend. You’ve always been more than just a friend to me, even when we
were
just friends.”

“I know. It doesn’t feel right thinking of you like that.”

He slid his hand into her hair and put his lips to her ear. “Then let’s go back to how it was before.”

Feeling his breath against her skin sent a shiver through her body, and it did not go unnoticed by Adin. He rubbed his cheek against hers, breathing heavily.

“I love you so much, sweetheart.”

Although she really didn’t want to, she pulled away from him. “You know we can’t. And if we’re going to be just friends, you can’t touch me and talk to me like that.” She hated telling him this.

Adin took a deep breath and groaned through his exhale. He seemed to be searching for the right words to say, but it was apparent he was coming up empty. There were no magical words to make her change her mind about keeping Adin safe.