“You’re only three months older than me,” he says. “Does that bother you?”
“No. Does it bother you?”
He grins and shakes his head. “No, I think it’s pretty damn hot.”
“I’m turning twenty next month.”
“I already know that,” he says.
“Of course you do.”
“I’ll be right behind you. Don’t worry, you’ll only be dating a teenager for a little bit,” he says with an even bigger grin.
I shrug and say, “You’re legal. That’s all I care about.”
He laughs and gives my bottom a soft pat. “You’ll appreciate my youthful virility when we’re older.”
“I’d like to appreciate it now.”
The smile he gives me is one I’ll never forget. It’s the perfect mix of hunger and desire, but there’s a sweetness to it that makes it clear he’s feeling everything I’m feeling and that this isn’t just a ploy to try and get in my pants. This means something to him.Imean something to him, and when I kiss him, he returns it with the same amount of passion and longing and need that I’m giving him.
His fingers tighten on my hips, holding me close but also limiting my movements so I can’t grind against him like I really want to. It’s a special kind of torture to feel his thick length beneath me but not be able to use it to its full advantage. I’m not the only one feeling the pain of it. When I pull back, I see the same frustration I’m feeling mirrored in Niki’s grey eyes. I drink in the sight of him, wishing I could pull out my phone and snap a photo of this exact moment with his eyes heavy-lidded, his lips swollen from our kisses, and the way the corner of his mouth is lifted up just enough to show a hint of his sexy grin.
“You’re perfect,” I say, making him laugh.
“I think your hormones are talking right now, sweetheart.”
I smile at the endearment and cup his face. “If they are, they’re only telling the truth.”
“I knew you were going to be sweet,” he gives me a wink and adds, “not just tasting, but as a girlfriend.”
My heart lights up at that word, and when I smile, he pulls me closer to kiss the dimple he’s obsessed with. I stay in his lap until we can no longer ignore the clock.
With his arms still wrapped tightly around me, he says, “I hate to say it, but you have an early class, and I don’t want you to have to go to it exhausted.”
“I still can’t believe you’ve been watching me.”
“I liked spending time with you, even if you were completely clueless about it,” he says with a soft laugh.
With great reluctance I stand up, leaving the comfort and warmth of his body, and I hate it. When he stands and I wrap my arms around him again, he returns it and kisses my head. With my face resting on his chest, I say, “I love that you’re a cuddler.”
“I didn’t realize I was one until you wrapped your arms around me.”
The truth is I love a lot of things about this man, and if I keep standing here like this, I’m going to start telling him all ofthem, and I’m not sure he’s ready for that. Leaning closer, I lift up just enough so I can kiss his neck and then I force myself to be a responsible college student and take a step back. I’m not one of those people who can get by on just a few hours of sleep, and I have one of my hardest classes first thing in the morning. Dr. Ellison is my favorite professor, and even though I didn’t declare my major until after freshman year, he welcomed me in and made me feel like I could do this. I’m grateful for his support, and it always makes me feel like I need to work extra hard in his class so I don’t let him down.
With both of us hating it, I gather my stuff together and let him lead me back down to the parking garage. The ride back is far too fast, but it’s nice to be able to touch him without worrying about overstepping things. He walks me to the door and then kisses me so thoroughly that I end up walking up to my room on very unsteady legs.
I still have a little bit of classwork before I can sleep, but that doesn’t stop me from calling Cindy and telling her what happened. I hear her excited squeal right before I hear Sasha’s deep voice asking her if she’s okay. She laughs and tells him the news, but I’m guessing he’s not quite as excited as his wife. He’ll be happy for Niki, but Sasha isn’t the kind of guy who’s going to squeal over the phone and say how happy he is for me. Cindy does it enough for the both of them, and by the time I hang up, my cheeks hurt from smiling and I have to fight the urge to call my mom and tell her I finally found a guy who lights me up from the inside. Instead, I decide I’ll surprise her and bring Niki with me to our family supper this weekend.
I keep expecting this happy feeling to fade away, but when I wake the next morning, the first thing on my mind is that goodbye kiss Niki had given me, the way his large hands had gripped my hips so gently, pulling me closer like he couldn’t bear the thought of even an inch of space between us. Everythingabout him screams danger, but he’s so sweet when he’s touching me. Despite who he is and what he does, I’ve never once felt unsafe around him. It’s the exact opposite. I’ve never felt as safe as I do when I’m with him.
When I’m ready for class, I head downstairs, and not even seeing Deirdre and her perky nipples is enough to sour my mood. She gives me a smile that’s not even remotely close to being friendly, and when I hear a snort of a laugh from beside me, I look over and grin in relief when I see it’s Madison.
Throwing a bunch of women together under one roof is always a risky thing. It can be great or it can turn catastrophic. Roommates like Deirdre push it much closer to catastrophic, but girls like Madison turn the situation from unbearable to being downright fun.
She nudges my arm and whispers, “Do you think she wakes up like that or do you think she tweaks them before coming downstairs?”
I nearly choke trying to stifle my laugh. She hides her smile behind the coffee she’s drinking when Deirdre shoots an angry look our way.
