“I stopped you from getting arrested, and a pretty little thing like you wouldn’t survive a day in jail. Or prison. Whatever. What’s the difference?”
He punched my chest weakly and mumbled, “Shut up.”
I grabbed his fist and brought it to my lips, kissing the bruised knuckles. “Please don’t do that again,” I pleaded softly.
Seeing him go up against three guys who were way bigger than him had terrified me. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t been there to drag him away?
Reese lifted his head, those hazel eyes finding mine. “Why not?”
“Because you’re the most precious thing in the world.”
His pupils dilated, his lips falling open as he just stared at me for a long moment. Like he didn’t know how to react to what I’d just said. Like I’d broken his brain.
Then his face scrunched up like he was tasting something foul. “Precious? What the hell, I’m not?—”
I pressed my finger to his lips. “Shh, don’t argue. You’re a precious little tiger, darling.”
He pinned me with a flat look, then opened his mouth and bit down on my finger with his sharp little teeth. Feeling his soft tongue against the pad of my finger sent a flare of heat through my groin. “Fuck,” I rasped.
He let go of my finger. “You say the dumbest shit.” And then his lips were on mine, pressing hard and driving my head back into the pillow. And when he drew away, eyes locked on my mouth, he smiled and said, “I guess I’m into that, though.”
“Lucky me.”
I really was lucky. I’d been given something I didn’t even know to dream of, and now that I had him…I wanted to do everything I could to keep him. I’d do anything for him, do anything to keep him safe and make him happy.
Fucking anything.
“Promise me you won’t try to fight random people anymore.”
He scowled, then dropped his head onto my shoulder, letting his body sink down onto mine. I wrapped my arms around him and put my legs on top of his, trapping him.
He mumbled something into my skin.
“What was that?”
His teeth sank into me, and then he lifted his head and said, “Fine. I promise.”
22
GODDAMN HORNY PERVERT
DAKOTA
“You wrote that?”
I wanted to preen at the awe in Reese’s voice.
We were in one of the music booths so we could work on our project. He almost hadn’t come because it was snowing out and he didn’t want his violin to get damaged—so I’d bought him a huge umbrella from the campus store.
“Yeah, I wrote it,” I said.
“When?” Those pretty eyes narrowed at me, and I wanted to kiss his pursed lips.
“Yesterday. What, you don’t believe me? Want me to write something for you right now?” I picked up my bow, positioned my violin, and started to improvise something dark and melancholic.
He rolled his eyes and set his hand over my bow, stopping me. “I believe you.” His fingers trailed down the bow to my hand, and he started drawing little circles on my skin. “You’re really good at that,” he said softly, watching his finger move over the back of my hand.
His cheeks were pink.
