“Yeah, I was just thinking about you, about kissing you.”
My stomach hollows out. I’ve been thinking about that too, but I wasn’t expecting him to bring it up. I don’t know what to say back.
“Have you been thinking about it?” He sounds just like he did after we kissed, sexy.
“Uh-huh,” I reply.
“I wish I could see you right now.”
“We can FaceTime,” I offer.
Oswald does this low, throaty kind of chuckle, and the hair on my arms stands up. “Maybe next time, baby.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Where are you?”
“In my room.”
“In bed?” I swear it sounds like he groans the question, but I pretend not to notice.
I don’t know where this is going, but I doubt I’m prepared for it. “Yes, where are you?”
“At the apartment.” He brushes off my question with a quick, nondetailed answer. “Do you like being home all alone?”
“No, I thought I would, but it’s lonely,” I admit.
“That’s why I stay with Memphis, we’re a package deal,” Oswald tells me, and my mind goes to a place it shouldn’t. Is he referring to where they live or… “You’re okay with that, right, Waylynn?”
“Yes,” I answer too fast.
“Good, I’m going to let you go before… Well, I just wanted to hear your voice and say goodnight.”
Before what? I’m dying to know, but I swallow the need to uncover what he was about to say and murmur, “Goodnight, Oswald.”
Just before the phone disconnects, I hear another groan, and my mind comes up with all kinds of things he could be doing, but I force those thoughts out of my head and scoot down under my covers. My shirt drags across my nipples, and I make a similar needy sound.
I flip onto my side and shove my phone under the pillow next to my head, forcing myself to ignore it, and close my eyes. I can’t help that my mind goes to Oswald and his kiss, or the way it felt to be cozied up next to Memphis in the backseat. I’m going to blame it all on hormones and the fact that I spent way more time examining my feelings and what was going on in my head instead of enjoying the things most kids my age have.
* * *
When I enter class Wednesday,it feels like a lot more time than a day has passed since I had dinner with Oswald, Memphis, and Bates. I’m not dreading going into class like I have been, but I do have nervous butterflies in my stomach for an entirely different reason.
Someone collides with me the second I clear the door. I feel a warm breath on the side of my neck and smell the scent of fresh soap—Oswald. “There you are.” He buries his nose behind my ear. My first instinct is to close my eyes and revel in his touch, but I’m too self-conscious not to look around to see who else is noticing.
We have a few of our classmates’ attention, but it’s Memphis’ gaze that has me transfixed. I expect him to narrow his eyes or express his disapproval in some way, but he just watches me for a long second, then glances around the large room as if he were just looking around.
“I saved you a seat,” Oswald says, still speaking into my neck.
“Thank you.”
“I don’t know if you’re going to say that when you find out where we’re sitting.” He finally moves out from behind me and grabs my hand as he starts to walk down the center aisle. The farther we go, the faster my heart starts to beat.
It’s early enough that there are a lot of open seats, especially this close to the front. Oswald guides me into the second row, and we don’t stop until we’re in the middle. I notice a bag on one of the seats and an open laptop on the other. He snags the bag and places it on the floor. “Sorry, he said he wanted your eyes on him to make sure you were paying attention,” he explains.
“I always pay attention,” I defend but lower myself into the seat.
“Don’t let it bother you, he just wanted to be close to you too,” Oswald tells me easily, and I can feel heat crawling up my neck. I don’t really know what to do with that information, so I change the subject.
