AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“While I don’t disagree, you can’t stay in your room. It’s not safe there. Even if that psycho doesn’t do anything stupid to endanger you, I don’t think it’s wise to stay somewhere there are drugs. If she goes down for it, she might try to take you with her.”
Brynn nods like she’s thought the same thing.
“And you can’t keep staying in another dorm room that’s already occupied. You have no bed. You’re getting no sleep. It’s no way to live, and I’m sure it’s against the rules.”
“So, the solution is living withyou?” she asks, her tone incredulous.
“Do you have a better idea?” I arch a brow, waiting as she stares me down. After a moment, I smile. “I’ll take that as a no.”
I turn and grab the suitcases I told her to pack when I texted her earlier, then begin to wheel them outside and down the hall.
“But . . . you have a roommate,” she says, trying to catch up. “Don’t you think you should discuss this with him first?”
“Chris will be cool with it,” I say, waving away her concern.
“I’mnot even cool with it.” She huffs and hurries to my side but quickly falls behind again. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because he’s hardly ever there. He practically commutes. Trust me. He’s not going to care.”
“But where will I sleep?” she asks, winded from matching her stride to mine.
With a groan, I halt and spin around, but Brynn isn’t prepared and crashes into me.
Her face hits my upper chest and when I grip her arms to hold her steady, every inch of her body presses into mine: the soft swell of her breasts, her hips, her thighs. I inhale a deep breath as I feel a stirring in my pants and quickly push her away. Shifting, I try to get a rein on my dick along with my errant thoughts as I wonder if she’s wearing a push-up bra or if her breasts really are that full.
This is precisely why Brynn coming to live at my apartment is a bad idea.
Brynn, however, rubs her forehead like my chest is made of concrete and scowls, seemingly unfazed by the impromptu body contact. “What the hell, Jace?”
“Listen,” I say, putting some much-needed distance between us and raking a hand through my hair. “I don’t have all the answers, Brynn. To be honest, I haven’t really even thought it through properly, but we’ll figure it out. Hell, I spent half my time back home at your house, so it won’t be all that much different.”
Who am I kidding? It’ll be entirely different. No Teagan. No parents or siblings. Just us. And Chris, on the rare occasion he graces us with his presence.
“But we hate each other,” she says, deadpan.
No, Cupcake. I don’t hate you. Far from it.
I glance down at her, studying her expression. “Doyouhate me?”
She cocks her head as if thinking about my question.
I roll my eyes. “Never mind. Don’t answer that.”
We walk a few more steps before I can’t take it anymore and I halt once more. For some reason, it bothers me that she thinks I feel any kind of way about her.
I reach out and place my fingers beneath her chin, tipping her face up to mine until our eyes meet and her violet gaze sinks its teeth into me. Her eyes are like a vortex, sucking me in, and I realize as I stare down at her that I’d do just about damn near anything for this girl.
It’s your loyalty to Teagan talking. Nothing more.
Loyalty or not, it’s one thing to tease her, but I don’t want her thinking I hate her, because it’s the furthest thing from the truth. Finding ways to get under Brynn Nichols’s skin is one of myfavorite pastimes. I’ve finely honed my skills over the years, and I look forward to it like a kid on Christmas.
“I don’t hate you, Cupcake,” I say, my voice soft as her gaze shoots hooks under my skin. “The way I see it, you only have two options. You can either carry on sleeping on the floor of your friend’s dorm, getting zero sleep and risking getting on their nerves after a while. Or you can move in with me until we find a better solution. I’m not gonna force you to stay with me if you don’t want to, even if I think you should. I’m not that guy.”
I swallow, and I realize with frightening clarity I care more about her decision than I should. “So, what’ll it be?”
CHAPTER 11
BRYNN
