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I drive over to the dorm first, find a spot close to the door, and park. I kill the engine and pull the keys from the ignition, slipping them into my pocket. When I reach for the door handle, Elyse’s voice touches my ears.
“I-I think it’d be better if you don’t…come up to my room…with me,” she fumbles over her words nervously.
“Why is that?” I eye her, scoffing.
What is she trying to hide?
“Well…” She starts off bashful, her eyes refusing to meet mine. “Tasha is probably there, and honestly, she’s not very fond of you.” She pauses for a moment. “Actually, she’s scared of you. It’s probably best if you stay in the car.”
And she should be, I think to myself. Having Tasha scared of me serves me well right now. If she’s scared, she’ll keep her mouth shut, which means I can keep Elyse safe. But if she slips up, something bad is going to happen.
“Fine,” I grit out. I don’t really want her going up there alone, but I’ll deal with it.
Giving me a soft smile, she slips out of the car and walks gracefully into the dorms.
The entire time she’s gone, I’m on the verge of getting out of the car and running up to the dorm room to check on her. I don’t really give a damn about what Tasha thinks.
I get my phone out to see how long she’s been gone. It’s been ten minutes. Five more, and I’m going to storm up there.
I watch the minutes tick by, my patience thinning with every second.
Elyse returns exactly four minutes later carrying a large duffel bag, looking like she’s heading to a fun sleepover party at a friend’s house.
I shake my head and grip the steering wheel hard. She looks so damn happy.
Doesn’t she know this isn’t going to work out how she wants?
Giving me a wide smile, she gets into the car, throws her bag on the backseat, and buckles herself up. Then she turns to face me, her eyes dazzling. “Where to now?”
“The grocery store.” I pull the keys from my pocket and shove them into the ignition. As I put the car into reverse, Elyse’s sweet scent fills the small space.
It fucks with my head. It makes me think things, want things…
Putting the car into drive, half of me hopes Damon calls me, and the other half hopes he doesn’t. The longer I have Elyse here with me, the longer I want her to stay, and the longer the thought of us as a couple starts to seem okay.
Chapter Fourteen
Elyse
Holding the steaming bag by one corner, I grab the popcorn out of the microwave and pour it into a large bowl. Hero is already sitting on the couch, getting the movie started. His expression looks grim and a bit annoyed, which goes along with the grumpy mood he’s had all day. I thought he would lighten up a little bit at least. It was his idea to pick up a movie after all.
“Hero?” Chewing on my lip, I contemplate asking him a question. With the way his mood has been all day, I don’t know if I should risk it, but my curiosity to know more about him outweighs the fear of him shutting down. “Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything you want. I’m not sure I’ll have an answer for you, though.”
“How do you afford living here?” I watch his facial expression carefully, hoping I didn’t ask something that might hit a nerve. Luckily, my question has the opposite effect.
His face softens and his eyes turn a little kinder. “My mom. She left me everything she had. She set up a life insurance policy while I was in prison, before she got sick. She always wanted me to go to college. It was one of her last wishes. That’s really the only reason I’m here.”
“I’m sorry you lost her.” I cover my hand with his, meaning nothing more than to comfort him. But even that innocent touch sends a sexually charged current through us.
“Let’s just watch the movie.” He pulls his hand away from mine, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
The movie starts, colorful images flicker across the screen, but I can’t concentrate long enough to understand what it’s about. Loud explosions fill my ears, reminding me Hero picked an action movie. No doubt, he chose the least romantic movie he could find and the most boring ever for me.
I nearly groan as a sex scene starts. A few weeks ago, I would have shriveled up and died from embarrassment, especially with a guy sitting next to me.
Thank goodness it’s dark in here. If it wasn’t, Hero would be able to see my heated cheeks and the warmth creeping down my neck onto my chest. Clenching my thighs together, I shift uncomfortably on the couch. My panties are soaked, and my body’s begging me for things I can’t give it.
