I stepped closer, gripping her arms so she would look up at me. “What are you trying to say?”
“I saw you with those cheerleaders,” she said. “That’s the kind of girl you like, right? I don’t know why I thought…” She closed her eyes and took a step back so my hands fell to my sides.
I had this horrible feeling like I was watching her slip away even though she was standing right here. “Collette Boucher, do you or do you not have a boyfriend?”
She bit her lip and then she looked up at me and my heart freakin’ took a tumble off a cliff. I was falling. My whole body felt like it was free-falling.
“No,” she said softly, and relief nearly knocked me over. “But?—”
I gripped her arms again and I pulled her close. I didn’t wait to hear her buts. I wanted to feel her lips on mine. I wanted…her.
I let instinct take over as I stepped forward and cradled her cheek with my hand. I leaned forward, desperate to show her in one kiss everything that I felt.
Collette was quick-witted and snarky, but this was one conversation I knew I could win.
I pressed my lips to hers and electricity shot throughout my entire body. From the gasp that escaped her lips, I knew she felt it too. At first, she was hesitant, like she didn’t know what to do, but then, her hands made their way to my shoulders and then the back of my neck.
I took that as my cue to deepen the kiss. Everything about Collette, from the way she tasted to the way her body fit perfectly against mine, made me realize that out of the mess that was my life, Collette was the only perfect thing that existed.
I kissed her deeper, slanting my lips over hers as a surge of something so pure hit me, it had my head spinning. My arms ached with the realization that at some point, I was going to have to let her go. I slid my hands to her back and held her tight, reveling in the feel of her soft skin and her warm lips and the sweet sincerity in the way she kissed me back.
I could have kissed her like that forever, but she pulled back. She blinked once. Twice. And then she was staring up at me with wide eyes that were filled with…
Fear.
My chest tightened as I worried what that meant. I could feel her pulling away and there was nothing I could do about it. I went to reach for her but she took another step back, shaking her head. “I don’t…Idon’t know what that was.”
“You’re amazing, Collette.” I took a step forward but she started backpedaling quickly.
“No, I’m not,” she said. “Please stop.” Her hands were raised as if she were worried I’d keep advancing.
“You are.” A strange sort of desperation crept into my voice as I tried to make her see how I’ve been feeling these past few weeks. Surely she’d felt it too, right?
She had to have felt it too.
Her eyes met mine and she shook her head. “I’m not amazing. You don’t know what you’re saying. I’m not…” Her voice trailed off as tears brimmed her eyelids. Then she shook her head and glanced up at me. I could see the determination in her gaze. “You barely even know me and I…I definitely don’t know you.”
She took off before I could stop her but her words stayed. They lingered and they stung.
Hurt lanced through me at what I knew she’d meant. I’d let her down when I hadn’t stood up to my dad. I’d failed her and now she saw who I really was.
She’d seen the real me…and she wanted nothing to do with him.
TWELVE
COLLETTE
Thankfully, Olivia didn’t pepper me with questions when I met her at my car after I ran full speed away from Ethan. She remained quiet as I drove her home even though I had tears running down my cheeks.
As I idled next to the dormitory, she turned and gave me a hug.
“Love you, Collette,” she said as she pulled back and shot me a quick smile.
I nodded and blew out my breath. “I’ll tell you tomorrow,” I said as I stifled a sob.
Olivia nodded. “I know you will. When you’re ready, I’m here.”
I shot her a thankful smile and she saluted me as she grabbed the door handle and stepped out. I waited for her to walk into the dorm before I pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic.
