AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After a moment of hesitation, I said, “Yeah, I don’t see why not. We can meet next Monday and bring what we’ve gathered this week? I believe Dr. Caste is going to start giving out midterm information soon.”
Relief hit Brent’s eyes, and he flashed a grin.
His teeth were perfectly straight and white, but his smile always left me unsettled. It felt disingenuous, as though an underlying agenda was being leaked, negating the words he peddled. It was men with this feature, like him and Daniel, that left me uncomfortable and hesitant.
Brent was more eager now as he pushed on. “That sounds great; do you have anything we can discuss now?”
I gave Mariana a look and she thankfully rushed to say, “Actually, I was going to steal Bex here away and take her on a coffee date. She can text you the details later this week, maybe?”
Brent looked back at me, and I offered a complacent nod.
“I think the library would be the perfect place for us to continue meeting.” I started to stand but he placed his hand over mine.
Unwanted touch made my skin crawl. The memories from the night before Malcolm found me threatened to surface and pushed me to leave faster—the sensation of being touched in a deep darkness, but unable to move or speak.
“Hey, we don’t have each other’s number.”
“Oh, no worries, I can just email! I’ll hit you up this weekend.” I removed my hand, the back of which was damp with his sweat. It took some strength to resist wiping my hands against my jeans. I didn’t want to be rude and insult him over something he couldn’t help.
Mari slipped between the stacks to our far right, just out of view. As I trailed behind her, I turned back to see Jai’s gaze following us. He had been silent and in his own distractions for that conversation, as it normally went. Brent was down in a book, a quiet frown pinching his eyebrows.
“Hurry, before he sees you,” Mari whispered with a muted giggle. She wound through the maze of stacks until we were dumped out on the other side, closer to the reading lounge.
“What happened to a coffee date?” I asked, confused as she unloaded her books.
“I’m sorry, is that a pout on your face?”
I huffed in a mock offense, but my lips curled into a grin despite my trying to remain neutral. I was busted.
“I mean, you can’t just say you’re taking me out and then lead me to a deserted part of the library!” I fought the loud laugh that wanted to escape. I whispered theatrically, “What happens when Brent comes over here and sees that you’re a liar?”
I set my stuff down on the smooth wood and took my place across from her. The sun was heavy on this side of the building, and the beams lit up Mari’s mahogany curls. It was like she had a halo burning above her.
She gloated, “He won’t find out. No one comes over here. Those—” She pointed in the direction of the stacks and her bracelets shimmered. “—are the religion textbooks, and no one actually sits over there to read.” She lifted her other hand, effectively gesturing in both directions. I glanced to the stacks behind us, not trusting that Brent wouldn’t follow us.
I was met with a different surprise altogether.
Jai Wells was stalking through the aisle closest to my right. He looked so out of place amidst the ancient books, yet so right. He made the aisle look cramped and tight.
How fucking tall is he?
His eyes traveled down and then back up my body before darting to Mari, where his course shifted as well.
Mari lifted her head and greeted him with a smile.
“Hey, Jai!” His binder scuffled across the table’s surface when he put it down. He leaned into Mari’s space. His voice was low, too low for me to hear what he was saying.
I need to know what they’re talking about. It wasn’t like me to be so nosy, but I couldn’t help it. They weren’t close; when had a friendship formed unbeknownst to me?
Mari flitted through her notes as he spoke. My perplexed eyes darted between the two. She nodded, taking out papers here and there. She let out a genuine chuckle that I’d regularly heard time and again, but I couldn’t believe the new sight unfolding before me.
Jai smiled.He smiles.
Something swirled in my stomach at the sight. His perfect and sharp teeth were on display, with the curve and point of where his lips meet, and the faintest hint of a dimple. Just under his full top lip, I caught a flash of silver. There were two sharp tips on a curved barbell that sat just at the top of his teeth.
The smiley piercing is my new favorite.
I wonder how his teeth would feel biting into my—
