Read Online Carnelian by B. Kristin McMichael - Free Book Online Page B

each other this kind of stuff,
right?” I scrunched up my face. I should have never called him
friend.
    “Well, first off, you aren’t my type.” That
was a lame excuse. I really didn’t have a type. I had more a type I
was trying to avoid. “And second, I know nothing about you. Do you
really think it’s safe for a girl to be alone with a guy, possibly
in a car, and not know a thing about them?”
    “Okay the not knowing is valid,” he
answered, nodding along with my case. “But I’m confused
otherwise.”
    I shrugged. It wasn’t that confusing. When a
girl says you’re not their type, most guys moved on.
    “How can you say I’m not your type if you
know nothing about me? Maybe I’m more complex, or have deep, dark
secrets that don’t show up in the football program brochure.” Seth
pondered his assessment with a twinkle in his eyes.
    Okay, he had me there. “Fine. I know a
little about you, and what I know makes you not my type.
Regardless, it’s not enough that I’d feel comfortable alone with
you,” I added to clarify. Seth was still smiling. He knew that he
had the upper hand. I actually knew more about him that I was
willing to admit. I finished the last bite of my sandwich as I
waited for him to respond. He finished his food also and just
smiled.
    “Then, friend, what is your type?” Seth
smiled sweetly, playing the friend role perfectly. His kissable
lips parted slightly when he smiled. Great. Friends was not a good
idea. No way could I have a conversation with him without thinking
about things I didn’t want to think about, and I had a feeling Seth
knew what I was thinking.
    I stood up with my drink and tray in hand.
The best solution was to flee. “The honest type that doesn’t have
ten girls waiting to catch him when he turns away for a moment,” I
answered him. Seth stood while I talked and followed me as I walked
to the trash. Fleeing just went out the door when he chose to
follow me. Guess I’d have to flee faster next time.
    “Well, I’d have to say I’m pretty honest,”
Seth said, assessing himself.
    “Mm-hmm,” I replied. Not thinking, I just
let the first question that popped into my head out. “Then where
did you go to elementary school?”
    Seth’s mouth dropped open. I hadn’t meant to
confront him on his shady past. I was intrigued, but I planned to
look further without anyone knowing. It just kind of slipped out.
Though Seth’s reaction told me all I needed to know. I was
definitely on to something. He had a past he wasn’t willing to
share. Honesty was not exactly a trait of his.
    “Running off already?” Ty asked as he
rounded the corner and came up to Seth and me. “What’s the
hurry?”
    I smiled at Ty. I could look at him while
talking and not have wandering thoughts about kissing him. Ty was
safe and nice. Even though he had just as hidden of a past, I
didn’t feel he had an agenda all the time like Seth. Maybe because
he wasn’t asking me to date him.
    “I have to get the last of my homework done.
Sim is dragging me to something called CRUSH tomorrow and she said
it could take all day,” I told Ty.
    Seth recovered from my assessment of his
honesty and smiled.
    “Then we will be seeing you there,” Seth
answered for both him and Ty. “I have to defend my title after all.
I had the best time in last year’s qualifying round.” Seth was
gloating, but coming from him it was more like he was stating fact.
I had no doubts Mr. Perfect, all-star athlete had the best time.
From everything I read in his file, there wasn’t much he did wrong,
probably not even kissing. Crap. I was looking at his lips again as
he talked.
    “Are you competing?” Ty asked, bringing me
back from my daydreams.
    “Wasn’t planning on it, but I’m sure Sim
will force me to,” I complained. I could already see Sim’s
excitement about it. Competing seemed like it was on the table
already. And once again, I’d be seeing Seth Sangre.
    “Can’t wait to see it,”
Seth