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“Yes, she is. She was my staunchest supporter after Ben, angry because he kept texting and calling me for a booty call and when I wouldn’t give in, he spread nasty rumors about me and one of the Psych professors I was interning for.” She shakes her head. “The university launched an investigation, believing me and the professor had an inappropriate relationship because of Ben’s rumors. Vanessa was the one who got him to admit he lied and took it to the administration.”
I squeeze Irelynn’s hand. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Ben is a real asshole. Is he still here?”
She shakes her head. “No, he transferred.”
“Good. I’d kick that fucker’s ass if he even looked at you the wrong way.”
Irelynn gives me a smile. “I’m glad he’s gone because I don’t want to see him after all he did, but also, I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble because of him.” She pulls the croissant closer. “Anyway, that’s why I didn’t want to admit that I was jealous.”
“It’s okay, baby. I don’t mind you being jealous, but you’re the only one I’m interested in.” I grab her hand, rubbing my fingers over it. Nerves are in my stomach as I say, “I’m working for Darin until six o’clock tonight. Can I take you for a bite to eat afterward?”
Please say yes.
Her eyes sparkle with happiness. “I’d love that.”
My smile matches hers. “Perfect. I’ll pick you up around six-fifteen.”
She nods. “I look forward to it.” She holds up a finger. “But there’s one catch.”
I study the mischievous look on her face. “Do I have to agree to tell you my middle name to go to dinner with me?”
She throws her head back, laughing. After a few minutes, she regains her composure. “No, silly.” Leaning across the table, she says, “I’ll think up a much more interesting way to get that information out of you.” Her eyes gleam with excitement and damn it, my dick starts to harden again.
“You will, huh?” I lean across the table. “I look forward to it.”
She grins. “So do I.” Shaking her head picks up her pastry. “The catch is, you have to eat a bite of my croissant.”
Before she can react, I lean over and take a bite, holding her gaze. She sucks in a breath, her pupils dilating when I lick the chocolate on her finger.
“Oh,” she exhales a breath.
I grin at her wickedly. “It’s a date, right?”
She swallows hard, eyes burning with lust. “Oh, yeah.”
As her tongue slides out of her mouth, running over her bottom lip, it takes all my self-control not to carry her from the coffee shop to my Jeep, then take her back to my place.
But I don’t. Because as much as I desire her physically, I want more than that.
I want all of her.
Chapter twenty-four
Max
August27,2018,12:45p.m.
I hold the coffee shop door open, and Irelynn brushes past me. She gives me a big smile and I let out a low groan. She is so fucking adorable when she teases me, but I’ve now spent about half of my first day of classes with a huge hard-on that I’m trying to prevent the rest of campus from seeing.
As I fall in step beside her, I take in her sun-streaked blonde hair glistening in the sun, her tanned skin glowing. I suck in a breath. She turns to me with a happy grin lighting up her face, her cheeks radiant with happiness. Reaching her hand out, she wraps her fingers around mine. I tug on her hand, pulling her closer to me.
As we walk across the quad, birds happily chirping from the tall maple trees overhead, happiness fills my chest. The weather is perfect, sunny, and warm, and my first class went well. That likely has to do with the petite blonde walking beside me.
She is the reason I didn’t have any nightmares last night. Two days of being nightmare-free, after having them for over three years.
Irelynn tugs me toward the sidewalk that spans the length of the side of Stevenson. As we saunter toward the back of the building, holding hands, she looks up at me shyly.
“What is it, beautiful?”
