AN ACCIDENTAL KISS

The afternoon lecture finally ended, and Isabella had never been more relieved to hear a professor dismiss his students.

She quickly gathered her notebook and pens, desperate to leave before Harry Lockwood decided to humiliate her again.

Emily: “Bella, wait. I need to ask Professor Miller something.”

Isabella glanced toward the back of the classroom.

Harry was still sitting with James and Jack, scrolling through his phone with an expression of complete boredom.

Isabella: “I’ll wait outside.”

Emily: “Okay. Don’t disappear.”

Isabella nodded and hurried toward the exit.

The business faculty was much quieter now. Most students had already left for lunch, afternoon classes, or their apartments.

She checked her phone.

A message from her father appeared on the screen.

Dad: How’s my princess enjoying her first day? Call me when you’re free. Love you.

Isabella smiled.

She missed her parents already.

Typing a quick reply, she continued walking through the long marble hallway.

She was so distracted by her phone that she didn’t notice someone approaching from the opposite direction.

Until it was too late.

Her shoe caught against the edge of a slightly raised floor tile.

Isabella: “Ah!”

She stumbled forward.

Her phone slipped from her hand.

And before she could hit the floor, two strong hands caught her waist.

Unfortunately, the sudden movement sent her crashing against the person holding her.

Her lips collided with his.

For one impossible second, everything stopped.

Isabella’s eyes widened.

The lips beneath hers were warm.

Firm.

And unmistakably real.

She had just kissed someone.

A complete stranger.

Except when she finally pulled back enough to see his face, her heart nearly stopped.

Harry Lockwood.

Of course.

Of all the people in the entire university.

Harry fucking Lockwood.

His hands were still gripping her waist, holding her upright. His dark eyes stared down at her, completely unreadable.

Isabella: “Oh my God!”

She tried to step backward, but her knees were still unsteady.

Harry tightened his grip to keep her from falling.

Harry: “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Isabella’s face turned bright red.

Isabella: “I’m so sorry! I tripped! I didn’t mean to—”

Harry: “Do you ever watch where you’re fucking going?”

Isabella: “I wasn’t looking. I’m sorry!”

Harry stared at her.

His eyes dropped briefly to her lips.

Isabella noticed.

And somehow, that made everything worse.

Isabella: “I didn’t mean to kiss you.”

Harry’s jaw tightened.

Harry: “Obviously.”

She lowered her head, wishing she could disappear.

Isabella: “Can you please let go?”

For a moment, Harry didn’t move.

Then his hands loosened.

Isabella stepped backward, her heart pounding.

Her phone lay on the floor between them.

She quickly bent down to retrieve it, but Harry reached it first.

He picked it up and examined the cracked screen.

Harry: “You break everything you touch?”

Isabella swallowed.

Isabella: “Apparently.”

The answer escaped before she could stop herself.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

For the briefest moment, something almost resembling amusement crossed his face.

Then it vanished.

He held out her phone.

Isabella reached for it.

Their fingers brushed.

She immediately pulled her hand back.

Harry noticed.

Harry: “Jesus Christ. Stop acting like I’m going to fucking kill you.”

Isabella looked up.

Isabella: “You scare me.”

The words slipped out before she could think.

Silence settled between them.

Harry stared at her.

Most people were terrified of him, but very few were stupid enough to admit it directly to his face.

Harry: “Good.”

Isabella’s stomach tightened.

He stepped closer.

Harry: “Then maybe you’ll finally learn to stay out of my way.”

She nodded quickly.

Isabella: “I will.”

Harry should have walked away.

Instead, his gaze dropped to her mouth again.

He remembered the brief pressure of her lips against his.

It had lasted barely a second.

An accident.

Nothing worth thinking about.

Yet the memory irritated him.

Isabella noticed his expression changing.

Isabella: “Harry?”

His eyes snapped back to hers.

Harry: “What?”

She swallowed nervously.

Isabella: “Can I go?”

Harry stared at her for another moment.

Then he stepped aside.

Harry: “Get lost.”

Isabella hurried past him.

But she had barely taken three steps when his voice stopped her.

Harry: “Piggy.”

Her shoulders stiffened.

She slowly turned around.

Harry stood in the middle of the empty hallway, one hand tucked into his pocket.

His expression was colder than ever.

Harry: “Next time you want to kiss someone, try asking first.”

Isabella’s mouth fell open.

Isabella: “I didn’t want to kiss you!”

The words echoed through the empty hallway.

Harry’s eyebrows rose.

Isabella immediately covered her mouth.

She had never spoken to him that loudly before.

For several seconds, Harry simply stared at her.

Then he walked toward her.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Isabella instinctively backed away until her shoulders touched the wall.

Harry stopped a short distance in front of her.

Harry: “Careful.”

His voice was dangerously quiet.

Harry: “You’re getting brave.”

Isabella lowered her eyes.

Isabella: “I’m sorry.”

Harry looked at her for another moment before stepping away.

Harry: “Go.”

This time, Isabella didn’t hesitate.

She practically ran down the hallway.

Harry watched her disappear around the corner.

Then he slowly touched his lower lip with his thumb.

What the fuck had just happened?

He dropped his hand, irritated with himself.

It was an accident.

A stupid accident involving a clumsy freshman who couldn’t walk without falling over something.

Nothing more.

His phone vibrated.

James: “Where the fuck are you? We’re waiting downstairs.”

Harry glanced once more toward the empty hallway.

Harry: “Coming.”

He ended the call and walked away.

But for the first time that day, Harry Lockwood found himself remembering something he hadn’t intended to.

The feeling of Isabella Hayes’s lips against his.

And he fucking hated it.