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But it’s not as easy as I thought it would be.
I thought the other shoe would drop as soon as he left my dorm that night. That was why I let myself indulge my craving, going back for more over and over until we were both so exhausted we couldn’t move.
But something has shifted between us, and it hasn’t gone away. He seems… kinder. Softer. I know it would be idiotic to forgive him, but I have to admit, it’s a relief not to be constantly on edge around him.
“This is all done,” Reese says, interrupting my thoughts as he throws his laundry into the basket.
“You’re not going to fold it?” I ask, and he looks at me like I’m a loser.
“No, Emma Holloway, I’m not going to fold it.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“Do you want to fold it for me?”
“No.” I scoff.
“Well, in that case, let’s get out of here. You need a lift.”
My heart jerks in my chest, the easy casualness of our banter fading. Reese said it not as a question, but as a statement.
“I don’t mind the walk.” I shake my head quickly.
This is a bad idea. I should just grab my stuff and get out of here. I should walk back to Clearwater’s campus as fast as I can, even if my arms burn from carrying the heavy basket. But the honest truth is, as tense as some moments have been, there’s been something nice about spending the evening with Reese, doing something as mundane as washing our clothes.
Maybe he can see me wavering. Or maybe he never intended to take no for an answer.
His hand finds my lower back, and he guides me toward the door. “You need a ride. Come on, Ems.”
We walk out to Reese’s car, both of us holding our baskets, and he opens the door for me with one hand. Where is the chivalrousness coming from?
“Thanks.” I don’t look at him as I slide inside.
As we drive back to campus, I do feel a little spark of gratitude for the lift. It’s fully dark out now, and I always hate walking alone at night. Clearwater is pretty safe, but still.
I sit up a little straighter as we approach the student lot, but Reese passes the standard student parking and finds another spot, in a little hidden area closer to the dorms.
“Do you have special parking?” I ask, glancing at our surroundings.
“Of course I do.” Reese flashes a boyish grin, turning off the car and glancing over at me.
“You always get what you want, don’t you?” I shake my head with a smile.
Reese’s face changes in an instant. His self-satisfied grin dissolves into seriousness. “No. Not always.”
All the air seems to go out of the car.
He doesn’t have to say anything else for me to grasp what he means.
Reese is referring to me.
I can feel it in every cell of my body. The intensity of his gaze makes me feel like my skin is on fire, and I can’t help but remember how he looked at me like this sometimes in high school. He would always look away or change his expression back to an easygoing smile when I caught him staring then. But now, he doesn’t look away.
He doesn’t move.
Warmth pools in my lower belly, a sudden ache building in my clit.
I wanted Reese in high school. I wanted his bright, happy energy, his gorgeous body, and his breathtaking emerald eyes. And he’s only gotten better looking since then, his perfect features taking on a slightly more rugged quality, his golden brown hair a little longer than he kept it in high school.
