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His words hit Roseline like a ton of bricks.
 
“Oh no,” she groaned, burying her head in her arms.
 
“You didn’t!”

“Of course I did,” Gabriel laughed, pulling out his own version of Pride and Prejudice.
 
“So, where are we?”

Roseline’s head popped up as she shook her finger at him.
 
The word agitated didn’t begin to explain the tension coursing through her veins.
 
“You expect me to believe that Mrs. Carlson actually allowed her star pupil to take her only tutor?”

“Yep,” Gabriel flashed his brilliant smile.
 
He leaned forward.
 
“I can be very persuasive.”

Roseline rolled her eyes, miffed at the nerve Gabriel had.
 
“If you think I’m going to waste my time teaching you about love you’re sadly mistaken.”
 
Roseline cried, slamming down her book as she rose to her feet.
 
Curious eyes glanced their way as Gabriel grabbed Roseline wrist.

“Please, sit down.
 
You’re making a scene.”
 
Wincing, Roseline realized he was right.
 
And it was for that reason alone that she returned to her seat.
 
“Thanks.”

“I’m not doing it for you,” she snapped, tossing her bag onto the table.
 
“So what’s your angle Gabriel?
 
Think I’ll ask you back to my place for a study date and you can make your move?”
 
Roseline hated the ice in her voice but his carefully planned trickery had really thrown her.
 
She’d guessed that Gabriel had influence with the teachers, but to think of him manipulating her English teacher for his own purposes was not only brilliant but terribly annoying.

“Hey now,” Gabriel cried, throwing up his hands in defense.
 
He lowered his voice, ducking his head in lower so no one could hear him.
 
“I’m not that kind of guy…but then again you’d know that if you actually gave me a chance.”

“A chance at what?
 
You’re with Claire aren’t you?” Roseline retorted.
 
She would rather die than let it slip that she’d overhead their fight.
 

Gabriel shook his head, leaning back.
 
“No.
 
We broke up.”

“Oh, and you two seemed like such a cute couple,” Roseline smirked, folding her arms firmly across her chest.
 

“What’s your deal?” Gabriel questioned, eyeing Roseline.
 
“Did I do something to royally tick you off?”

Roseline sighed, flexing her cramping fingers.
 
She hadn’t realized how hard she’d been holding her arms until she felt her nails pierce her skin.
 
Gabriel glanced down.
 
“Hey, you’re bleeding.”

Carelessly swiping the blood away, Roseline shrugged.
 
“Look, it’s not that I don’t like you Gabriel.
 
We both know I do.
 
But this really isn’t going to work.”

“Why not?” Gabriel asked, leaning in closer again.
 
His eyes flickered back towards the half moon cuts in Roseline’s arm.
 
His stomach churned, but oddly not from revulsion.
 
“You’re not even giving me a chance.”

“Yeah, so take a hint.”
 
Roseline tried to continue her abrupt tone but it came out more as a desperate plea.

Gabriel sat back, lacing his fingers together on top of the table.
 
“Why?”

“Why what?” Roseline snapped.

Gabriel smirked.
 
“Why can’t you leave?”

Roseline’s mouth gaped open, flabbergasted.
 
“I was here first.”

Gabriel snickered, slouching in his chair.
 
“Oh, that’s real mature.”

Roseline groaned and buried her face again.
 
“Just please leave me alone.
 
I’ll beg if I have to.”
 
Painful moments passed while Roseline waited for his response.
 

“Why?” His voice was so close to her ear that Roseline could actually feel his breath wash over her neck.
 
Her skin quivered as pleasure rolled through her, slamming into her gut like a wrecking ball.
 
His alluring scent was too strong, consuming her mind in an instant.
   

“Oh no,” she moaned under her breath.
 
That was all it took.
 
She knew she was going to lose control in a public school, surrounded by gawking teenagers.
 

In less than an hour the entire school would know she was a freak and she’d be forced to move.
 
No.
 
Roseline couldn’t let that happen, no matter how painfully her toes curled with desire.
 

Without thinking, Roseline grasped Gabriel’s hand and yanked him to his feet.
 
He barely had time to grab their bags before he went stumbling after her.

“This isn’t going to help our reputation, you know?” Gabriel chuckled as he struggled to keep up with Roseline.
 
She ignored him, desperate to find somewhere quiet to talk.
 
Roseline twined her fingers with his as she wound through the maze of halls until she finally found the exit.
 
Instinctively she headed for the parking lot, making a beeline straight for his Range Rover.

He paused, eyes widening with surprise.
 
“You want to skip school?”

“Got a problem with that?” Roseline snapped, shifting from foot to foot.
 
She was nervous, insanely so, but she had to do something.
 
Emotions were boiling up inside her faster than she knew how to handle.
 

“Not at all,” Gabriel grinned and unlocked the doors.
 
Roseline hopped in and threw her bag over the back of her seat.
 
“Where to?”

“Anywhere.
 
Just drive.”

Gabriel threw his car into reverse, tires squealing as he spun out of the parking lot.
 
The guard at the base of the hill tried to stop them but Gabriel blew past, merging recklessly with the busy street.
 
“Well that was fun.”

Roseline glanced over at him.
 
“First time?”

“Yep,” he nodded, looking really pleased with himself.
 
“I think I should do that more often.”

Roseline couldn’t help but laugh. She leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes, working hard to slow her pulse.
 
Roseline ceased breathing until she knew she was able to handle Gabriel’s enticing scent without jumping him during rush hour traffic.
 
They drove for a while in silence before Gabriel spoke.
 
“That was quite a scene you made back there.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.
 
I just had to get out of there.”

Gabriel glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
 
He was having trouble reading Roseline.
 
One moment she was cold as ice and the next he thought she was gonna yank him into a bathroom stall and blissfully make out.
 
Not that he would have minded that one bit!
 

“So…” Gabriel tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.
 
“Are you really mad about being my tutor?”

“No,” Roseline laughed, shaking her head.
 
“Actually I’m pretty impressed.
 
Do you have all of the teachers wrapped around your pinky?”

“Most of them,” Gabriel admitted proudly.
 
“I’ve always had a way with women.”
 
Roseline glanced over at him and Gabriel grimaced.
 
“No.
 
I didn’t mean it like that,” he stammered.
 
“I just meant…”

Roseline rested her hand on Gabriel’s arm as he cut off.
 
“I knew what you meant.
 
Although, if you want to keep your reputation, I probably wouldn’t react like that ever again.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes.
 
“Yeah, like I care about my reputation.
 
I’ve just been yanked out of the library by the hottest girl known to man and I’m pretty sure the rumors are already raging like a forest fire!
 
By the end of school, everyone will know that you violated me.”

Roseline giggled.
 
“And I’m guessing you won’t do a thing to slow that one down.”

“Are you kidding?” Gabriel scoffed.
 
“I’ll be a hero!”

Roseline rolled her eyes.
 
“Whatever.”

”It’s true.
 
Every guy in the school has been after you.”
 
Gabriel laughed at Roseline’s puzzlement.
 
“Really?
 
You didn’t notice?”

She shrugged, glancing out of the window.
 
“They’re not my type.”

“Oh, so you have a type now.
 
I can’t wait to hear this.”
 
Gabriel pulled into an overflowing parking lot.
 
Roseline glanced around, confused.
 

“Where are we?”

Gabriel opened his door and hurried around to Roseline’s side.
 
“Come on.”
 
His fingers entwined with hers as he helped her down.
 
She blushed, pleased at how warm his hand felt against her skin.
 
“So…?”

Roseline smirked.
 
“Not gonna let that one go huh?”

“Not on your life.”
 
He led Roseline towards a large stone building.
 
A massive banner of a beluga whale sprawled across the front.
 
“Want to see some whales?”

She shrugged and mounted the steps next to him.
 
Gabriel swept her to the side as he moved to open the door for her.
 
“After you, my lady.”

Shaking her head, amused by Gabriel’s showmanship, Roseline stepped into line for tickets to
Chicago
’s Shedd Aquarium.
 
Although she’d never given any thought about going before, Roseline had to admit she was excited.
 
Gabriel ducked in front of her just as she reached the ticket booth and paid for their entry fee.
 
Handing her a ticket, he eased them towards the entrance.

As soon as they’d maneuvered through the slow moving crowd, Gabriel took her hand again.
 
“This is nice.”

Roseline knew she shouldn’t agree with him, but she did.
 
She knew she shouldn’t be there with him, but she was.
 
She shouldn’t crave his blood, his very essence of life, but she did…more than anything else in the world.
 
This was a bad idea but she couldn’t make herself part from Gabriel.

“So…you’re a pretty good football player,” Roseline said, knowing she sounded lame but couldn’t think of any other safe subject as they approached the shark exhibit.
 

Gabriel nodded.
 
“Yeah, so they tell me.”
 
Roseline watched him closely, noting the nearly invisible eye tick, the firm set of his lips and the slightest increase in tension in his fingers.

“You hate it though don’t you?”

His response was immediate.
 
“Yep.
 
I have since the first day my dad made me try out.
 
I never wanted to play sports.
 
As a kid I was terrible.
 
I think Steve had almost completely given up hope until he saw me goofing around with Oliver in the backyard.
 
After that he just became obsessed,” Gabriel allowed his lip to curl with disgust. “He wants me to go to Notre Dame.
 
It’s where he spent the best years of his life.
 
At least that’s the crap he’s shoved down my throat for four years.”