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“With my head on the table,” I reply, amused. “I’ve done it before.”
“Forget it. You can crash in my room.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Um, say what now?”
“Yes.” He gives me a look that tells me he doesn’t want an argument. “It’s clean, and the other guys are probably still at that party anyway. I live in a house off campus with some of the guys from the team,” he explains.
“Linc and Chase?” I ask, my heart sinking.
“No. They share a dorm. My roommates are pretty cool. Come on, like I said, it’s clean.”
“That’s not the point.” I pause, mulling things over. “I’d go to Jasmine’s, but she’s with Dante tonight. And Beckett is sick.”
“You’re not going over to Bucket’s,” he orders. “He’ll breathe all over you with his gross, germy breath and give you his fucking cooties. Fuck that.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Eli, what is your problem with Beckett?”
“Let’s just say I don’t like how he treats women,” he mutters. “And he was trying so hard to impress you the night of his show that afterward he didn’t even notice you were about to pass out from the heat.”
“Uh huh. And how would he have known I was ready to pass out after seeing me for a mere five seconds?”
“Iknew it almost immediately,” he says pointedly. “If he’s so into you, then he definitely should have fucking noticed.”
“We will have to agree to disagree.” I huddle into my hoodie, feeling chilled to the bone from the cold. It’s damp near the fountain, and I’m freezing after sticking my hand in the water. Probably not the brightest move.
He tugs on my sleeve. “Come on. You’re staying with me. No arguments.”
“No arguments? Have we met?”
He waves a hand dismissively. “Holland, it’s fucking freezing out here,” he argues. “Come on. You can have my bed, and I’ll crash on the floor.”
“Eli, why are you doing this?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
I fall silent. I’m not sure what I wanted him to say, but it isn’t that.
A moment later, he tips my chin up with his finger and studies my face. “I’m doing this because you’re myfriend, Holland. And I’m not going to let you freeze your ass off out here or crash on a library table. Got it?”
We study each other in the dim light of the quad for a few seconds before he drops his hand. My heart races as we stare into each other’s eyes, and I realize that if one of us doesn’t break up this little intimate moment, I’m going to say or do something I regret.
Like kiss him.
I stand up quickly, nearly toppling over in the process, then make a big show of brushing off my jeans. “I require clean sheets, Donnelley.”
He smiles. “Don’t worry, I just changed them this morning.”
“I guess that works.” I grab my duffel bag. “Lead the way.”
* * *
When we arrive at Eli’s house, the whole place is dark and quiet.
“Told you the other guys would still be out,” he says.
Eli leads me up to the third floor, then to a door that opens up to reveal a small staircase.
“I drew straws and snagged the converted attic room when we moved in. It’s bigger, and very private.”
