What the Librarian Did by Karina Bliss

how we do it, babe—standing up, right here, right—Owww!” He reeled backward from a knee to the groin.
    “You narcissistic bastard!”
    “Okay, I get it.” Devin groped for the wall behind him. “You changed your mind.”
    “Changed my—” The light snapped on and Rachel advanced on him. “I was never going to sleep with you!”
    “Take a look at the text messages on your mobile and let’s cut the crap.”
    “What?” Frowning, she pulled the phone out of her handbag and checked it, then looked up, exasperated. “So one of Trixie’s stupid jokes allows you to treat me like a groupie, is that it?”
    Devin eyed her closely. “Was it a joke? Or something to boast about?” He’d been caught before.
    She drew herself straighter. “I’ve never met anyone with such a high opinion of himself. What gave you the idea I was even interested?”
    “Oh, I don’t know…. Maybe it was when your hands were on my butt.” When she blushed, he folded his arms. “Quit acting coy. I even asked you if you’d thought about it.”
    Her mouth tightened. “Kissing you. That’s all .”
    “Kissing?” Devin stared at her incredulously. “When a grown woman tells a guy she’s thinking about it, Heartbreaker, he’s not imagining kissing.”
    “I didn’t give you permission to imagine anything, mate. And if you’ve ever dated a grown woman I’d be very much surprised.” Color high in her cheeks, she opened the front door. “Now, please leave!”
    “Happy to,” Devin said grimly. Didn’t she know how many women wanted to sleep with him? “Frankly, I’m amazed I hit on a cardigan-wearing, pass-on-the-butter, book nerd anyway.”
    As he walked out, he caught his shin on the serrated pedal of the mountain bike. “Sh—”
    The rest of the expletive was cut off as Rachel slammed the door behind him.
    Dammit, that gave her the last word.
     
    M ARK WAITED ALL MORNING for Devin to notice he had hurt feelings. By lunchtime he gave up.
    Walking to the cafeteria between classes with Devin, he stopped abruptly. “I waited for you an hour at the ferry terminal last night.” It was two hours but he didn’t want to seem that much of a loser.
    Devin looked at him blankly and Mark’s sense of grievance grew.
    “You invited me for a jam session, remember?”
    “Did I? Sorry, buddy, I forgot.” Devin continued walking, as distracted as he’d been all morning.
    Mark’s hurt smoldered into active resentment. “You know what?” he said to Devin’s back. “Since you obviously don’t even notice I’m around, I’m gonna skip lunch and catch up on some homework in the library.”
    Turning impatiently, Devin scowled at the last word, and Mark immediately regretted his temper. “I’m sorry, okay?” he said. The last thing he needed to do was piss off one of his few friends here. “It was just…well…never mind.” He’d had a frustrating few days piecing together a staff list from old yearbooks and faculty newsletters, but it wasn’t comprehensive or age-specific. He’d have to visually scan every female staffer on campus and confront anyone who seemed the right age.
    “What? I’m not mad at you.” Devin walked back to him and Mark avoided his eyes. Sometimes the musician saw too much. “Why don’t we get food to go and I’ll give you that guitar session I promised you now?” They were blocking the path through the quadrangle and Devin steered him to one side. “I’ve got an apartment in town and our next class isn’t for a couple of hours.”
    “You have another place?” Mark was impressed.
    “Yeah, I bought it to stay in the city during week, but found I prefer going back to Waiheke. Mom uses it more than I do.” Devin hesitated. “Do me a favor? A textbook I need has come into the library. Go pick it up while I get the food?” He handed over his library card.
    “Is it because you don’t want to see her?”
    Devin said evenly, “What makes you say that?”
    Immediately, Mark knew he’d said