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With flying colors, thank you very much.
This calls for a celebration, and I know exactly how I’m going to do that.
More like who I’m going to do it with.
My gaze scans the crowd for Lola’s dark head. It takes several passes before I catch sight of her walking toward me with a tray in hand. As soon as our gazes collide, a zip of energy sizzles through my veins. Even after all this time, I’m still not used to the feelings she rouses inside me or the way my body reacts to her. Every muscle becomes whipcord tight as my heart skips a painful beat before pounding harshly into overdrive.
Know what I like best?
That she sees me for the guy buried beneath all the hype. Lola doesn’t give a shit if I’ll turn pro in a couple of months. She doesn’t care if I sign a multimillion-dollar contract. She’s not a groupie impressed with my celebrity. Honestly, I think she’d prefer if we could go out to eat or to the store without people stopping me, wanting an autograph, or talking football.
The fame and notoriety doesn’t mean jack shit to her.
The closer she gets, winding through the sea of students, the more intense my need becomes. I’ve always been a touchy-feely kind of guy, but this…
It’s on an entirely different level. I have a hard time keeping my hands to myself when she’s in the vicinity.
“Hi,” she says, setting her tray on the table across from mine. “Have you been waiting long?” She unwinds a knitted scarf from around her neck before unbuttoning her jacket.
I glance at the scarf, wondering how she’d look with it tied around her wrists, her arms hoisted above her head so she can’t escape my touch. The thought of her stretched out naked on my bed is enough to give me wood.
I clear my throat along with those thoughts. “Nope. Just got here.”
Unable to rein in my desire another second, I nab her cold fingers and tow her to me. With her body pressed against mine, she twines her arms around my neck before lifting onto the tips of her toes.
“I missed you,” I growl between kisses, my erection becoming insistent.
I’d like nothing more than to take her back to my place and have my wicked way with her, but I know she has a final later this afternoon and needs to study. The last thing I want to do is get in the way of her nailing this exam. I want to be just as good for her as she is for me.
“Missed you, too.”
Just as she draws away, some fucker passing by shouts, “Hey, Stevens, get a room!”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to yell back that I’d love too, but I have serious doubts it would go over well. The last thing I want to do is piss off my girl.
Yeah, you heard me right. Maybe we haven’t made it official, but for all intents and purposes, Lola Diaz is my girl. It’s been buzzing around in the back of my brain for the past week. With everything going on, I haven’t wanted to broach the subject. She’s under enough stress and doesn’t need anything else adding to it.
I’m waiting for the perfect time to spring it on her. Maybe after finals are wrapped up, we can take a breather and have a convo about our relationship.
Heat gathers in her cheeks as she steps away and settles on the other side of the table. I follow suit. Although, I would much rather eat my lunch with her sitting on my lap.
As I pick up my burger and take a bite, she says, “I decided to schedule the surgery.”
I blink before carefully setting the sandwich back in its basket. “Are you sure?”
Uncertainty flickers across her expression as she presses her lips together. “I’ve thought about it so much this past week that it’s almost impossible to focus on anything else. As nervous as I am about going through with it, I just can’t say no.” Her voice dips, becoming lower. “How could I live with myself if I didn’t help her?” She slowly shakes her head. “It’s a guilt I would always carry with me.”
Deep down, I knew this would be her answer.
I roll my neck from side to side to alleviate the growing tension. “Have you thought about—”
“All the risks involved?” She reaches across the table and lays her hand over my larger one. “Yes, I have. Like I said, it’s been difficult to think about anything else. I even jotted down a pro and con list.” She glances away. “No matter how many cons there are, it’s impossible to equate them to saving someone’s life.”
“Is your mom still against it?” It feels like a shitty card to pull, but I do it anyway.
