38
COLTON
The universe hates me.First, her dad interrupts us. Then our president. Both people she can’t blow off, which I understand, but all I want right now is to take my girl somewhere private where we can celebrate.
I’m across from the door to President Munchen’s office, one foot braced on the wall as I wait like the stalker I am. When Quinn steps out of that office, she looks a little shell-shocked, and I rush over to her.
“Are you okay?” I ask, resisting the temptation to cup her face. We haven’t talked about where we stand on PDA on campus or when we’ll disclose our relationship to HR.
She bites her lip, and my whole being fixates on that one move. I swallow my groan, but when I finally drag my eyes back to hers, I know she can see all my dirtiest thoughts.
She nods toward the exit. “Let’s go to my office.”
I stay a step behind her, fighting off the instinct to reach for her hand the whole way. When we get in private, the first thing we’re going to do is talk about what I am and am not allowed to do in public. Scratch that, the first thing I’m going to do is figure out why she looks like she’s seen a ghost, then I’ll go down on myknees and worship her to celebrate her victory the way she deserves.Thenwe’ll talk about PDA.
She shuts the door behind us when we reach her office, one hand on the handle and the other pressed against the door, where she pauses for two seconds like she’s fortifying herself.
“Chaos,” I say, stepping up behind her. “Are you okay?”
Finally, she turns toward me. “Yeah.”
That’s all she gives me, but she looks excited, not upset, and it soothes the monster inside screaming at me to protect her. “What did President Munchen want?”
She smiles, covering it with her hand. “She wanted to officially thank me for all the work I did.”
“Okay,” I say, drawing out the word. That’s nice, but it doesn’t explain why she’s freaking out.
“Then she said Billings owes me a debt for coming up with the new committee, and I called it in.” Quinn lets out a disbelieving laugh.
“What did you ask for?” I ask, stepping closer and sliding my hands over her waist.
Another laugh escapes her before she clasps both hands over her mouth. “Rome.”
My brows draw together. What the fuck does she mean she asked for Rome?
“From now through the foreseeable future, you and I are guaranteed faculty spots on the Rome summer program. She’s going to let me keep the internship class, and you get first dibs on the history course. We’re going to Rome together, every summer, for as long as we want.”
“You asked for me, too?”
Her nose scrunches up. “I may or may not have disclosed our relationship. I’m sorry! We should have talked about it first and I totally understand if you’re upset with me and if you weren’t ready to make it public knowledge, but there’s no policy againstfraternization at Billings and I was just so excited about the prospect of?—”
I cut off her rambling, my lips taking hers in a hard kiss. I can’t believe that I’m going to get to spend three months every year in my favorite place with my favorite person. That we’ll never have to be separated while I do my research or teach.
There’s no world where I’d be mad at her for telling people about us. Her claiming me publicly is the hottest thing I’ve ever heard—second only to her so actively including me in her plans for the future—and I want her to know it.
She squeaks, but catches on quickly. Her hands slide over my shoulders and up into my hair as she meets my passion in equal measure.
I move down her neck, my mouth leaving wet, biting kisses down her neck.
“You’re not upset with me?” she asks, gasping when I nip at her collarbone.
“Fuck no,” I say, my lips dragging across her skin with each word. “Tell everyone I’m yours. Stand up at the next campus-wide meeting. Send a university-wide memo. Hire a fucking skywriter, for all I care.”
“I love you, Colton.”
The words are barely out before I pull her mouth back to mine, crushing my lips against hers. We open in unison, like we’ve perfectly choreographed this dance, and I groan into her mouth.
“I love you so fucking much,” I say on her lips.
