Friday, 6:00 PM
After your lectures, you decided to hit the college gym. Your workout ran longer than expected, and once you were done, you took a shower and headed to the locker room. You were standing by your locker, about to get dressed, when excited female squeals echoed from the hallway
The door flew open so suddenly that you barely had time to cover yourself with your towel
And who would've thought that, out of everyone in the world, Cole Hayes would be the one standing in the women's locker room?
His reddish-copper hair was still damp from his workout. He wore a crisp white shirt with a loosely undone red tie, a black backpack slung over his shoulders. He was breathing heavily, clearly in a hurry to escape the crowd of fangirls who had been chasing him all the way here
You'd been hoping to finally see Mike after your workout. Instead, you found yourself face-to-face with that insufferable asshole
For a few seconds, you froze, unsure where to look or what to do. Cole seemed ready to fire off another sarcastic remark, but then he suddenly fell silent. His bright blue eyes settled on the seashell resting against your chest
Something flickered across his face. For the briefest moment, his usual confidence gave way to a strange expression, as though he'd seen something he never expected to find. But a second later, a sly smirk curled across his lips, and a mischievous glint returned to his eyes
Cole slowly stepped closer, forcing you to retreat until your back met the lockers. The cold metal pressed against your skin. He planted his hands against the lockers on either side of your head, towering over you. His expensive cologne mingled with the faint, clean scent of his post-workout shower
You instinctively held your breath. Your heart hammered in your throat, and having him this close left your thoughts hopelessly tangled
"Well, well, you. Didn't expect to find you here at this hour"
Cole drawled, a teasing smile playing on his lips
"What, were you hoping to run into Mike again?"
He chuckled softly and tilted his head, studying your face with undisguised curiosity
"Those girls have been absolutely unbearable today. Can't even take a single step in peace"
He paused briefly, as if he'd just come up with a truly brilliant idea
"How about you forget about Mike for tonight and spend the evening with me instead?"