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Bellamy's eyes widened. "Oh, I—" His gaze slid to the front door. "I was going to tell him after I spoke to you. I was gonna tell him first before I told theothers."
"Yeah," I said. "He overheard me talking about it withLizzie."
Bellamy turned back to me and slid his hands back out of his pockets. His fingers clenched and unclenched into fists. He was anxious, I realized. "You talked about it? Aboutus?"
I licked my lips and crossed my arms in front of my chest, hugging myself. "I needed someone to talk to and she's been pushing me to tell her which of you guys is my boyfriend. She's my roommate right now and she's met Marv and Grayson and she saw me having lunch with them and Texas in the cafeteria and well...it was...um...girltalk."
"Girl talk," he repeated, nodding. "Right."
"I'm sorry," I said. "Did you want me to keep it a secret? I mean, I know I probably should have asked if you'd be comfortable with me talking about it. I didn't say anything bad. I-I liked it." My face flamed as those last words came tumbling out of mymouth.
Bellamy froze for all of three seconds before a soft smile stretched across his face. "I'm glad," he saidquietly.
I stood there, at the end of the duplex driveway, my face burning hotter than when Mount Vesuvius erupted over Pompeii and all because I had told a guy I liked it when he went down on me. I was eighteen for the love of all that was holy. I could just come out and say it, couldn't I? Why did I have to get all freaking girly about it? Even with those thoughts circling around in my head, my cheeks were assuredly still red when Bellamy took a stepcloser.
"Harlow?"
"Yeah?" I kept my gaze trained on a dark spot on the concrete. It was a crack—tiny and barely discernible, but it already looked like grass was beginning to grow through the smallimperfection.
"Harlow, Sweetheart, look at me," Bellamy prodded. Reaching up and putting a long finger under my chin, he urged me to lift my head. It was hard and incredibly embarrassing, but finally, I managed to look him in the eye. I swallowed thickly as he leaned down and brushed his lips across mine. The same lips that had just kissed Marv, and Bellamy knew it too. I knew that he did. He didn’t seem grossed out or disgusted or even really irritated by that fact either. He still kissed me like I was the only girl in the world and he was the only boy—man, I reminded myself. These guys weren’t boys. They weremen.
And Lord, did these men know how to kiss. Marv's kiss had left me feeling warm and tingly. This kiss—Bellamy's kiss left me burning and achy. I gasped when he flicked his tongue and when I did, he took advantage, sinking into me. Our heads tilted to the sides and I unwrapped my arms from around my middle so they could find his waist. When my fingertips brushed his belt loops, I grabbed a hold and held on for dearlife.
Bellamy's kiss sucked me in. He nibbled lightly on my bottom lip before diving into my mouth, into the fiery kiss, like he didn't just want it to consume him, but like he needed it to consume him. My spine arched backward as he leaned over me. Bellamy made me feel small and dainty just by comparison. His chest was wide—though not wider than Knix's, it was still wide enough to block out everything else. His dark hair fell forward, the shoulder length strands brushing my cheek as he overwhelmed me with hiskiss.
I had to release his belt loops and push back on his chest so that I could breathe. Much longer and I might have passedout.
“You’re okay with me telling them?” Bellamy asked,panting.
I put the back of my hand to my mouth, trying to catch my breath as well. “I knew you would anyway,” I said. “I don’t want to hide anything fromthem.”
He nodded as if he appreciated the answer and even…liked it? I couldn’t be sure, but there was a glint of pride—or something like it—in his eyes. “Okay,” hesaid.
After a moment that allowed the both of us to finally get our hearts back down to normal speed, he glanced across the street, towards campus. “Are you going to be okay walking back on your own?” he asked. “I could drop you off if youwant.”
“I think I’d prefer to walk,” I replied. “I want some time to myself, but thank youanyway.”
“Just…be safe?” He looked at me seriously, his dark brows drawn down low. “Text us when you get there. I just want to know you’re okay.” Little tiny fluttering wings brushed against my insides—like echoes from those two amazingkisses.
I nodded. “Of course. I’ll let youknow.”
“Thank you,Sweetheart.”
“Noproblem.”
“And Harlow?” He stopped me just as I turned back towards the street. I glanced over my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Erika will be fine. Iris will see toit.”
A small ping resounded in my chest, a reminder. I wasn’t just a college student. I was an Iris girl, and my best friend was in trouble. I nodded sharply and once again turned towards the campus. No matter how much I liked Lander and my classes and my roommate, this was all only temporary. The real work had begun. And regardless of my relationship issues, I needed to focus on finding Erika, keeping her from signing any sort of contract with H. B. Holdings, and keeping hersafe.
