AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Will they?
Feeling shy, I avoid making eye contact with Reed. I quickly attend to my final two tables, ensuring they’re taken care of. Before long, my section is vacant, and I signal to Reed with a raised finger, that I just need one more minute.
I run into the office and change from my Campus Café polo shirt into a sweatshirt that shows my love for reading.So many books, so little time.The universe knew Reed and I would be in a library today. I remove the hat from my head, take my hair out of the loose ponytail, and put it into a messy bun. I pull out a few strands, curling them around my finger and letting them fall. Fishing out my peach pearl gloss from my purse, I add a bit to my lips and pop.
I look in the full-length mirror on the back of the office door. It’s the best I can do with what I have on me. I never expected to see Reed again. When he brought me home, I had him drop me off at Lettie’s so he wouldn’t know that I lived in the townhouses reserved for students with families. Lettie and I have keys to each other’s houses in case of emergency. I went in, waited for him to pull out of the parking lot, and called an Uber.
Quickly, I check on Caleb and let Nicole know I’ll be there in an hour or so. Making my way back into the seating area, I notice that Reed fails to immediately recognize me. However, as I approach him, he promptly stands, his gaze transfixed on me. With my limited understanding of Reed, one thing becomes apparent—he possesses an unwavering intensity in all that he does. His stare. His oral skills. His commands.
Fuck, his commands are hot.
“Wow. You ready?”
“Yep.”
On the way to the library, we make small talk, mainly in regard to his roommates. “You seem close to Harper.” It’s not a question, and he doesn’t respond, so I let it go. “When is she due?”
“A few months. I just hope Logan isn’t drafted somewhere far away. It will kill her.”
“She would still have you, Hagan, and Adalee.”
“They won’t need me. Harper and Hagan’s family is huge, and Logan’s sister lives twenty minutes away. Where are you from?”
“Michigan. You?”
“South Bend, Indiana.”
We enter the library, taking the stairs to the second level where there are several study rooms as well as couches. He goes to the information desk and asks where he can findThe Outsiders.
As we snake through the rows, we end up in the corner. The gods are smiling on me this weekend. I run my finger over the stickers with the Dewey Decimal numbers. The book he needs rests on the top shelf. Pointing to it, he reaches above me and removes it, slowly. His chest presses against my back, and I enjoy the heat emitting from his body and breath. I spin to face him, wanting to kiss him and have one more day, no, one more moment to be a college student without any other concerns. Reed seems to live life without worry, doing what he wants when he wants.
“You’re more beautiful in the daytime.”
Blushing, I turn away, but he puts a knuckle under my chin and makes me look at him. “Don’t do that. When someone tells you how beautiful you are, look them in the eye and make sure they’re telling you the truth. A guy could lie to you. Get you in trouble.”
“Oh,theycould.” I can’t help but crack a crooked grin because Reed is trouble for me, and I’m already wanting more.
“I’m definitely trouble. It’s a word used to describe me over and over.” A hint of sadness slides over his eyes before he catches it and goes back to flirting with me. “Do you want to get into trouble with me, Brooke?” His breath drapes my neck. His fingers curl on the metal shelf behind me, and his other hand caresses my hip.
He makes me feel too much. I want to pounce on him like a tiger and make him mine, but my one night of throwing caution to the wind is over. Skirting under his arm, I say, “We better get started.”
Reed grabs the hem of my sweatshirt. “Last night was… well, let’s just say, I enjoyed myself.”
Unable to look him in the eye, embarrassment consuming my body, I snatch the book from his hands. He chuckles deep and drops his head, before following me from the stacks. I lead him to a small couch, and I watch as he removes his black bubble jacket. Underneath, he wears a branded long-sleeved performance shirt. The blue material shows every nook and cranny of his torso, it’s so tight. His light-gray joggers are loose in contrast. He stands in front of me, and all I can think about is him spilling on me last night. Never in a million years did I dream of that happening or how much it would turn me on.
Reed pushes his sleeves a few inches onto his forearms, then lowers himself beside me. Ink covers his forearm, stopping at his wrist. I’ve never given a blow job, but this man makes me want to get on my knees in the library.
He tapsThe Outsidersagainst my knee. “You ready?”
I shrug. “Depends on what you need.” It comes out flirty, which wasn’t my intention, but he rewards me with a dark, hesitant grin like he doesn’t know whether to play with his prey a little longer or devour me in one fell swoop.
My insides immediately clench like I’m doing Kegel exercises, fighting myself to stay in control.
After a few sizzling seconds, he says, “Can you show me how to annotate and tell me why in God’s name I need to do it?”
Hypnotized by the tone of his voice and the ink on his arms, it takes a moment to register that he didn’t serve me a playful pickup line. I finally say, “Teachers want us to annotate so we interact with the story, delve into it, and understand the nuances and shifts in the story. I don’t know the exact reasons, but this is how I do it. I underline anything that seems important. Or anything that makes me feel or wonder. It’ll be easier to show you. How do you learn best?”
“I’m a hands-on kind of guy. I’m not a reader, but you could convince me to read the book in your tote.”
