“Happy birthday,” Farrah gasped.
He muffled his laugh against her neck. “I think I lost a few brain cells, I came so hard.” Blake mustered the energy to remove and dispose of his condom before sinking back into his admittedly lumpy bed. But with Farrah beside him, it felt like heaven.
“You—”
“I know.” Blake shook his head. “I set myself up for that one.”
Farrah grinned and flipped over to straddle him. He was exhausted, but he perked up all the same. “Out of respect for your twenty-second year on earth, I won’t make the joke. I do, however, think we should have one more session. Since it’s your birthday and all.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve ever heard.”
Farrah’s hair spilled over her shoulders like black silk. Her sweat-slick skin glowed in the moonlight filtering through his curtains. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Blake rested his hands on her hips. “I’m going to miss you so fucking much.”
“The break is only a few weeks.” The tips of her hair brushed his chest as she took his mouth in a sweet kiss. “Like you said, we have next semester. It’ll be like we never left.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as Blake.
“You’re right.” He rubbed his thumb over her warm satin skin, trying to imprint the sensation in his mind.
“I’m always right.” Farrah fished a fresh condom out of his drawer and rolled it on before slowly guiding him inside her. Blake hissed out a breath. “Now, where were we?”
She started moving, and Blake forgot all about tomorrow, yesterday, or how the hell he got here. The only thing that mattered was that he was here, right now, with her.
SPRING SEMESTER
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Oh my god. Your hair!” Farrah’s mouth dropped when she saw Olivia.
The other girl touched her locks with a self-conscious hand. “Does it look stupid?”
“No, it looks amazing!” Olivia’s once waist-length hair swung around her shoulders in a clean, simple bob. The new style enhanced her cheekbones and made her eyes pop. “I love it.”
“Thanks.” Olivia beamed. “I thought it would be more professional.”
The girls stared at each other for a moment before they closed the remaining distance between them and hugged.
“It’s so good to see you!” Olivia squealed. “It’s been forever.”
“It feels that way.” The L.A. suburbs seemed so mundane after the excitement of Shanghai. Farrah enjoyed the warm weather and catching up with her family and friends, but she missed FEA and Blake. “Have you seen Kris?”
“Not yet. You?”
“Not yet.” Farrah helped Olivia haul her luggage up the stairs. Her arms strained with the effort. FEA needs to invest in an elevator. “You think she’s ok?”
“She’s fine.” Olivia sounded unsure. “It’s Kris.”
The girls’ hall was a mess of noise and bags. The dulcet tones of the latest pop hit drifted from Flo and Janet’s room into the corridor. Charlotte tromped past, dragging a massive comforter behind her. All around, girls laughed and hugged and reminisced about their winter breaks, so excited they tripped over their words.
FEA was back.
Farrah unpacked Olivia’s toiletry bag while her friend tossed her clothing on her bed. “Where’s Sammy? I can’t wait to see him.” Farrah missed his infectious laugh and good-natured jokes. He was the closest to a brother she ever had.
“He just landed. He’ll be here soon.” Olivia’s eyes gleamed. She pointed her chin at something behind Farrah. “In the meantime, someone’s here to see you.”
Farrah spun around. She sensed who it was before her eyes confirmed her hunch.
“Hey, girls.” Blake flashed his devastating dimples. “Miss me?”