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“Bex, I need to—”
“Hey guys,” a high voice chimed as a perky young woman popped into my sight. We weren’t far enough away from the check-out desk and Mrs. Whitcomb cleared her throat in warning.
I recognized her, kind of. She was everywhere around campus; I usually saw her in blurs as she bounced from place to place. Her normal accessory was the flashy camera slung around her neck.
Bex broke away and looked at her with a sweet smile. “Candace! Oh, you’re here! So that means today is your article publication?” The girl nodded in response; her blond hair shook loose from where she had it tucked by her ear.
“My editor nixed this one project we were working on which freed up my week. If you’re okay with it being today, I’d love to move forward with the group photo.” She picked up her camera and gave it a little wiggle.
“Oh, the party is here!” Brent exclaimed, earning another grunt from the Ghost of Books Past.Ancient past.Bex immediately reached out for my hand, catching Brent’s attention. She fidgeted her thumb nail across my finger. Candace turned to chat with Brent more and I tuned them out. I watched Bexley watch him. He leaned against the bookcase and stroked Candace’s shoulder.
The reaction I saw from her wasn’t discomfort like usual; she was getting angry at this interaction. Her eyes narrowed, and the flare of her nostril screamed pissed.
But it’s not jealousy.
“That honestly sounds like a great plan. It’s going to be fantastic, Candi!” To that statement, Bex rolled her eyes like no one would see.
“Alright then,” Candace asserted and turned back to us with her hands clasped. “The table in front of the grand window wall, that’s where I’d like to get you guys.” She stopped to look at her watch. “Weather is looking great, so we should have plenty of sun for lighting.”
The two started moving and I was still lost as Bex pulled me along to thisamazing sunlit table. When we completed the short walk, I saw literally everyone. Mari was talking to Janelle and Melody, while Daniel was busy flirting with Justine. Draven had a small group that he had invited regularly now that we entered our core classes. I didn’t care to meet more people. This was suffocating.
It made my teeth itch.
“We don’t see many study groups like yours that continue to meet through the years, not even counting the history you guys have with each other growing up.” Candace motioned for people to get into specific positions. I followed Bexley’s lead to the end of the table.
She chose to sit on the tabletop like a few others, and I was left standing awkwardly to her side. She tugged my arm when she noticed me staring at her.
“Here, turn out this way,” she instructed as she grabbed my hip. The way she positioned me had me at her back but still facing her more than the camera Candace messed with. Instead of Mari beside her, Brent was there being allBrent.
Bexley recoiled as he pressed his shoulder into hers. He didn’t care. She slid closer into me with part of her ass coming over the edge.
Impromptu emergency boyfriend time.
Before Brent could shove her off the table, my left hand gripped her thigh possessively. I shoved the right one into his ribs with more force than necessary. A gasp and a grunt respectively filled the space.
This is going to be the one to test the boyfriend privileges.
“Okay guys! 3…2…1!” Candace counted, and just before the shutter release, I kissed just below her ear, gently pulling her flesh between my teeth. Her thighs squeezed my fingers. “That’s perfect! One take and it's actually amazing!”
I am so screwed.
The others started their own conversations and milled about the maze of book stacks. Mari was able to drag a puppy-eyed Brent out of the area.
“I have another question,” she ventured and twisted at the waist so that we were face-to-face now. “Do you like kissing me?”
I almost choked. “Well, Bex—I mean, you know, who wouldn’t—wait.” I took a quick breath to settle the chaos before I cleared my throat. “What I’m failing to say is that I’ve neverkissedyou. I mean, your head is one thing, you know?” I explained as I ran my fingers through the waves. “Rescuing is different.” I paused because my voice raised, and I almost gave it away. “It’s different than consuming someone. When I kiss you, you’ll know the difference.”
“Wow. You could’ve just said you didn’t like it.” For a moment, I thought I upset her, but she snorted and lost herself to laughter. It took a moment for my facial expression to recover.
I dropped my head to her shoulder and braced my hands beside her on the table. A silent laugh worked through me as I told her, “You’re a cruel woman, B.” She tilted her head against mine.
“My real question wasn’t all that cruel, but I had an intrusive thought and it won.” I lifted my head and leveled my eyes with hers again as she continued to collect herself, unable to completely erase her mischief. “Are you part of that frat? The Sigma one?”
Did Mari mention our talk?I knew it would come up eventually, but I relied on it being in relation to a topic and time I anticipated.
“Yes,” I answered honestly. Her face sort of faltered a bit at my answer. “But I’m not a pledge or a brother. I don’t belong to them the way the pretty boys do.”
“You’re pretty.” Her admission was followed by a shy smile and a flush that darkened her freckles. A girl had never called me that before, and the compliment had a smile spreading wide. My cheeks felt warm under her study. Her eyes flicked down to the metal that peeked out. She absentmindedly moved her tongue along the edge of her lip.
