I panic, trying to remember where the closest bathroom is when the door opens, and I’m face-to-face with Dimitri.
“Wren?”
I frantically wipe at my face, willing the tears to stop, but to my horror, they only seem to come faster.
“I…” My voice catches, and I hear how pathetic I sound, so for the second time today, I do the only thing that seems to be an option and run.
But this time, I don’t get far.
“Wren, stop.” His hand closes around my arm, and he pulls me back toward him. I see his face for all of two seconds before I’m pulled further into his embrace, and the world goes dark. His arms wrap around me, and his deep, musky caramel scent consumes me. He’s like a man meets a candy shop, tempting and delicious, and despite barely knowing him, I feel myself relax.
I didn’t want anyone to see me like this, but I can’t deny that this is what I needed.
Someone who gave a damn.
I’d been looking for someone who cared the way Jordan used to, and while that might not be Dimitri, I think he’s as close as I’m going to get.
As close as I’ll let myself get, because even as I feel myself relax, I know this is a terrible idea.
I hear the door click closed, and I realize he must have moved us into the office.
That’s probably better than standing in the hall where anyone could see us and get the wrong idea.
Though with the way his arms feel wrapped around me, I’m not sure there is a right idea.
He doesn’t say anything for a while, simply holding me as I continue to cry in earnest for the first time since Jordan died, and somehow even his silence feels comforting.
It’s not until my tears slow, and I can breathe without sounding like I’m gasping for air, that I feel him even slightly adjust, and I very quickly realize that not only am I in his arms but on his lap. I pull back and find him far closer than I was prepared for.
“I—I’m sorry I didn’t mean to…” I stumble over my words as he looks at me, his gaze so intense that I lose my train of thought and have to start over again. “I mean, I didn’t have anywhere else to go…”
I trail off and attempt to pull away, knowing I’m not doing myself any favors here.
“I want you to always come to me if you need help, Wren,” he says, and the intensity in his eyes catches me off guard. “It’s my job to help you,” he says almost as an afterthought, and I can’t help but look down at my ass, which is very much still sitting on his lap.
Somehow, I don’t think this is part of the job, and he must see where my head went because he’s quick to change the subject.
“What happened?”
I sniffle and wipe my eyes; just thinking about the conversation makes my eyes prickle, and I hate it.
“Nothing,” I say, shaking my head as I try to pull away again.
He’s not buying it, though, and I guess that means I’m not going anywhere either because the arm that’s still wrapped around my waist pulls me tighter.
“Bullshit, Wren. You don’t go running through the school crying at six in the morning because ofnothing,” he snaps, and I avert my gaze, instead looking at his plain gray T-shirt. I’ve never seen him in such relaxed clothes, and there’s no denying it looks good. Well, minus the wet mark on his left pec from where I’d just spent the last however long crying like a baby.
I take a deep breath and let my eyes fall closed, hoping to be able to keep myself under control this time. Or at the very least, stop myself from breaking down again.
“I don’t really know. Gavin was stomping around the dorm, slamming doors. He’s mad that I’m in their space, and he’s hated me since we were kids. I get it, but Julian got upset and told him to knock it off, said it was too early. I’m not sure of the exactwords spoken because I’d only just woken up, but I could tell they were going to fight. I could hear it in their tone and see it in their posture…”
I swallow past the lump in my throat and let my eyes fall closed as my emotions threaten to choke me again.
I hate this.
“I never meant to make them fight. I don’t want to be the reason they don’t get along. I just want to pass and graduate so I can finally be free.”
“Why the tears, though?” He tucks his finger under my chin and gently guides my head back up until our eyes meet. “Gavin being a bitch doesn’t seem like something that you would let make you cry.”
