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“Everything is okay now. I’m here. You’re not alone.” I said whatever words came to me in the dreamlike moment. “You’re not alone.” That phrase seemed to be the right one, because his rapid breathing calmed as I said it.
I took long slow breaths, hoping my calmness would settle over him. After a few moments, it seemed to.
“Everything’s okay,” I murmured again and allowed myself my own moment of weakness, and cuddled his broad shoulders, enjoying the weight of him, the sheer overwhelming feeling of being trapped beneath him. It was oddly cathartic. As much as I was determined to keep my heart safe from the addiction of a guy like Beckett, I wasn’t sure I was succeeding. Lying there in the dark with him right then, while he showed me that part of himself that I was pretty sure only I had ever seen, it was harder than ever.
After a while, I was sure he’d fallen asleep again, so I tried to shift to the side quietly.
His arm slung over me, caging me to the mattress so there was no escape.
“Just a little longer, Cinderella, just a little longer.”
His murmur was so surprising, I flinched.
“You’re awake?” I wondered and returned my hands to his back.
His voice was a faint rumble. “No, and neither are you. This is all just a dream.”
And just like that, he was quiet, lying in my arms in the dark.
I stroked his back and tried very hard not to fall for the guy who hated me and had vowed to make my life difficult. I couldn’t be that dumb, right?
Right.
The next morning, I rushed up the stairs of the Business building, late for Intro to Econ.
Beckett had already left for practice when I’d woken up in his bed.I’d woken up in Beckett’s bed.The thought had me spinning. We’d somehow slept like that the rest of the night. I’d woken spread out and comfortable as hell. The sheets smelled like Beckett, and my body liked that smell a whole lot. The thought of sleeping the rest of the night together made my cheeks heat furiously. Somehow, it felt even more intimate than what had happened just before.
Class was just starting when I walked in, as quietly as I could. Seeing as I was late, I wasn’t about to stroll to the front. Instead, I slipped into a back row and dug my notebook out of my backpack and tried to concentrate. From so far back, I could see everyone. There was an unmistakable dark head missing.
Beckett hadn’t come.
The thought made me uneasy. Was he embarrassed? What was he thinking?
I continued taking notes and struggled to concentrate the entire session. At the end, Professor Jefferies glanced up.
“Eve Martino, can you see me afterward?” he called. “You’re dismissed,” he told the rest of the students.
I trudged down to the front, anxiety worming through me.
“Hi, Professor, you wanted to see me?”
Jefferies was busy stacking his notes and packing his laptop into his bag. “Yes, I wanted to check if you’re okay with your assignment partner?”
I blinked at him, surprised by his concern. Why would he offer to let me switch partners? He read my silent questions and sighed, looking over my shoulder. I followed his gaze and saw the last student leaving. We were alone.
“Look, I could get into trouble for saying this, but honestly, Mr. Anderson isn’t known to be a dedicated student, and I know you’re here on a scholarship and can’t afford to do badly.”
I should have been relieved by the professor’s offer. Here was a chance to get rid of Beckett as my partner. Instead, curiosity pushed to the front of my questions.
“How do you know that about Beckett? I mean, the school year just started.”
Jefferies shrugged. “I know his mom, Colette. She told me that he struggles to stay focused on academia.”
“His stepmom,” I automatically corrected. “Colette is his stepmom.”
“Well, regardless, I’d think she’d know. Do you want to change partners or not?”
Colette again. Something sour turned in my stomach, and I found myself shaking my head.
