I laughed as we began to walk, heading for our new dorm building. Willow’s comment about the top floor had me wondering what exactly I’d be walking into, but I didn’t want to see my new room without Aiden, so I agreed to see the besties’ room instead.
Mia was saying something about their new room having a kitchenette, and just as I was about to turn around, I bumped into someone.
A man.
The breath left my lungs in awhoosh.
This was…a very attractive man, I noted as I glanced up at him.
He scowled at me even though he’d caught my by the shoulders, and my heart clenched for just a moment. This was so similar to the first time I’d met Landon. The deep pit of grief I’d been avoiding threatened to open up inside me, and I swallowed hard.
The guy was tall, about Rafe’s height, with dark, almost black hair similar to my own. My hands landed on his stomach, which hadabsolutely no give, by the way–
His large hands caught my elbows, stopping me from losing my balance, and my breath caught in my throat as our eyes met. A perfect cerulean blue with a little gold shot through the iris looked back at me.
“Sorry,” I breathed.
His handsome face looked shocked for just a moment before it transformed back into a scowl, and he gently pushed me back to arm’s length.
Willow scoffed from behind me as the guy let go of me like I’dburned him, then turned and sauntered past us, his blue eyes flashing over to me. I watched him as he passed, watched how his eyes left mine and traveled down the length of my body before snapping back to my face. His lips twitched into a smirk for just a split-second before he went back to his scowl, then turned away abruptly.
“What the hell was that?” I blinked several times. “Was that an asshole move, or like…”
“Nope, that was just a hot guy being a hot guy.” Mia said with an eye-roll. “I’m so glad I gave up on men.”
“God, I hate when theyknow.” Willow sneered.
“When they know what?” I felt a little dazed. That guy was way too fucking hot to be scowling all the time. That smirk alone was hot. If he ever managed to really smile, it would’ve beenlethal.
“When they know they’re hot,” Willow explained. “They get so cocky. Look at him with his cocky ass, walking around allattractively.”
Leave it to Willow to say something not-sexual that ended up making me think of something sexual. Now I was envisioning what his ass looked like.
If those abs were anything to go by, it’d be firm and muscled and…
“I’ve never seen him before,” I said, still watching him.
“He has to be new,” Willow said. “I’ll see what info I can get on him. Wyatt owes me big time.”
I hummed in reply, because there was no way Wyatt would be giving Willow information on anyone, even if he did owe her. I still watched, barely blinking as he reached the end of the building, stepping off the stone path and into the grass. He ran a hand through his hair, then paused as he caught my eye again, like he couldn’t help but look. My heart pounded slightly, but I refused to look away.
Unusually warm arms banded around me from behind, and I shivered, my body finally warming.
“Hey, baby.” Aiden spoke right into my ear, and I grinned as the mystery guy narrowed his eyes at us. He watched me for a few more seconds before slipping around the corner.
I shivered again, but this time I wasn’t entirely sure it was from the cold.
Chapter 28
Aiden
I nervously followedbehind Skye as we made our way into the affinity gym. Being back on campus was psyching me out. Between the attack and my mother trying to kill me, I wasn’t feeling great.
I’d met with Dani, the secret Healer who worked in the Health clinic, as soon as we’d gotten back to campus. She reassured me that my sudden tight chest and trouble breathing was not related to my physical health, then recommended I see a psychiatrist.
Ha. The only options here on campus were fucking Wyatt or his nightmare ex. So that wasn’t happening.
I needed help, though. I went back to my old dorm room for just a few minutes to grab some of my old clothes –I had some legendary band t-shirts I’d never give up if I could help it– and my hands itched when I caught sight of my old pack of cigarettes in the trash.
