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Chapter Ten
COLE
“Cole Allemand! Over here!” Summer calls out my entire name as if worried I won’t recognize her.
I cross the university campus, heading toward a concrete picnic table Summer has taken over with her laptop and a pile of books and papers. As I approach, she stands, and I lose track of whatever thoughts were in my head.
She’s in jeans.
Shouldn’t I be more bowled over by Summer wearing skirts? Normally I am. But today, seeing her in pants, I can admire every beautiful curve.
Summer is shorter than me, but I wouldn’t necessarily call her slim. She’s compact. Like a gardening shovel. Sturdy and ready to work. Easy to maneuver.
And I want to maneuver her underneath me.
I shake my head to push the thought aside. That’s for the future, when she’s fallen for me.
“You found me, “ she calls out as I draw closer, waving me forward and indicating I should settle in beside her at the table.
“Hello,” I say because she deserves a proper greeting. She deserves everything.
“Hello,” she offers back with a smile so bright my retinas begin to char. I enjoy each blinding second.
In addition to her stretchy jeans, Summer has on a long-sleeved shirt with the university’s name printed across the chest.
“Camouflage?” I ask, tilting my head in the direction of her chest.
Summer smooths her hand over the front of the shirt. “Kind of. I did go here. So I guess I’m showing my alumni pride. And there are no rules against the public being on campus. Also,” Summer leans closer to me, her voice dropping as if we’re conspiring, “I know a little trick. Not breaking any rules, but they don’t tend to advertise it. So I’m giving you an in.”
She winks, and it’s the most fucking adorable thing I’ve ever seen. Summer pretending to flout the rules even as she follows them, her delighted smile giving away that she could never do anything wrong.
She’s too good for me. Which is why I need every advantage on my side before she finds out just how bad I’ve been.
“I’m a lucky guy.” I lean in to her too, bringing myself close enough to smell her. Maybe that’s weird, but I’ve been dying to know what her scent is. Because that’s one step away from knowing how she tastes.
One year my grandmother lived in Southern California. She rented a small house with a roof covered in curved shingles and a backyard full of lilac bushes. Summer shares that purple flower’s gentle floral scent that makes me think of sunny days and fresh blooms.
Before heading over here, I took a nice long shower, scrubbing vigorously, trying to make sure I don’t smell like cat piss.
“Librarians are good friends to have.” Summer grins, then reaches out to angle her laptop so I can see the screen. “Now, here’s what I want to show you. See here?” She maneuvers the cursor and brings down the Wi-Fi menu. “We’re on the university’s Wi-Fi. Anyone can access this as long as they are on campus.”
“I can get free Wi-Fi at your library,” I point out, not understanding why we’re going through this extra step, but still enjoying how close Summer is leaning to me.
“Yes, but this Wi-Fi gives you access to all the databases the school pays for. Do you know what that means?” For a second I thought I did, but when Summer grins up at me, unfiltered excitement spilling from her soft brown eyes, my brain briefly shorts out. All I can manage is a shake of my head.
“It means you can access hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of academic articles that are normally behind a paywall. There is so much scholarly, peer-reviewed research, and all you have to do is come to the campus to access it.”
Forcefully stifling my attraction for the librarian, I let her words sink in.
Shit. That is a fucking amazing workaround.
“You’re a genius.”
Her plump cheeks turn a tempting cherry color. “I’m not. I just know how library licensing works.” She pushes her laptop toward me. “You wanna have a go?”
I’m about to when I notice one of the tabs she has open.
“Wikipedia page forFeminist views on prostitution?”
