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It’s been so long since I’ve been kissed; I forgot how much I enjoyed it. When people talk about being drunk, this is what I always compare it to. The way sharing a breath with someone else can make my mind go hazy and my muscles turn liquid. The scent of cloves teases my nose, and a hint of cayenne still sits on his tongue when I open my mouth enough to taste him.
I trace my fingers up his neck, twining them in the silky mess of his short hair. With that hold, I’m able to pull him closer, delighting in his smile against mine and the hot pressure of his hands on my waist as he also tries to eliminate the space between us.
A blinding light acts like an electric poker, breaking us apart. My butt hits the brick of the wall hard as I plop back down, only realizing then that Nathan started to lift me up. My make-out partner stumbles back a step, hand shielding his eyes as muttered curses drop from the lips I just got to sample.
“What’s going on here?” The deep voice from behind the light holds a sense of authority, which automatically assures me I did something wrong. Only after a second of contemplation do I realize that neither one of us was breaking any kind of rules other than maybe the social norms of PDA.
“Goddamn it. Mike? Is that you? Stop shining that fucking flashlight in my face. We’re not drunk.”
Nathan’s angry outburst has the mystery person lowering the light enough that I can make out the form of a campus safety officer. Specifically, one of the student officers who got the job because they’re criminal justice majors.
“Nathan? Sorry, man.” He turns to look at me. “You all right there?”
I chuckle, not too mad about the interruption. Getting drunk on a guy’s kisses in public is not my norm.
How did we go from enemies to sucking face in one night?
“I’m good. Just heading home.” Too quick for Nathan to protest, I snatch my bag off his shoulder and wave at the two of them. “Have a good night, Officer. Till we meet again, my liege.”
In the ambient glow of the flashlight, I can see the unhappy clench of Nathan’s jaw. The sight of his discomfort adds a gloating skip to my walk. As I approach the entrance of my building, I can hear him berating poor Mike.
“Seriously? This is how you repay me after getting you through our Comm class?”
“I didn’t know, dude.”
A stupid grin sits on my face as I swipe my key card to unlock the door.
“Shorty!” Pounding footsteps sound behind me. “I don’t have your number!”
The last word is muffled by the glass between us as the door swings shut and locks automatically. Only the people who live in this dorm have key cards that can open it. A heavy knock rings through the lobby, and when I turn to glance over my shoulder, there he is, just outside, hands on hips, eyebrows sitting high on his forehead.
I smile and wave before pointing my feet toward the stairwell.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I’m torn. Denying Nathan’s demands is a hell of a lot of fun, giving me a rush of triumph and cockiness. But the sight of the dark stairwell, leading up to a room with girls who don’t really care to know me and a bookshelf full of novels that have been my only friends for months, reminds me that winning isn’t going to make me happy for long.
Behind me, there’s someone waiting. A guy who just wants to have a way to get in touch with me again. Someone who actually wants to spend time with me.
That doesn’t mean I need to let him know how much I crave his companionship.
When I turn toward the door again, I find his eyebrows are in a dramatic downward slope, and a hint of a frown is at the corner of his mouth. Then, he has the gall to lift up his hand, extend one finger, and curl it toward himself with slow deliberation.
The bastard is beckoning me.
Why do I love it so much?
Visibly dragging my feet, I make my way back to the door, hesitating just a moment before opening it to establish my power position. I push on the cold metal bar and let in the chilly night air along with his disgruntled words.
“You didn’t give me your number.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“And did youwantmy number?” I can’t help teasing him. It’s like a knee-jerk reaction that only Nathan brings on.
He stares up at the ceiling and lets out a huge sigh. For a moment, I think I’ve pushed our silliness too far, but when his eyes meet mine again, the devil has on a rueful smile.
