Holding On To Heaven (Allendale Four 2)

“Tell me you’re okay.”

“I love you.”

He stopped cold. “Even after acting like a barbarian?”

“Because you acted like a barbarian.”

He smiled and footsteps sounded on the stairs.

“Fuck,” he whispered. With wide eyes and laughing we scrambled, tugging on clothes and covering ourselves before two girls from the second floor barged in with their laundry baskets.

I busied myself with changing out laundry and Hayden shoved the condom wrapper in his pocket. We carried a load over to the table, ignoring the girls and the heat of our cheeks for almost getting caught. I glanced down and saw his sketchpad and picked it up.

I shook my head and laughed. Sure, it was a drawing of me standing at the washer, looking to the side just as I’d posed. But instead of a tank and leggings, he drew me like he’d seen me that very first day. White shirt, plaid skirt, the edge of my ass hanging out.

We may have fulfilled one of Hayden’s fantasies tonight, but one day I’d definitely have to dig out that skirt again.

20

On Monday, after class, I was surprised to find Noah in my suite.

“Hey,” I said, walking through the door. He’s sitting on the chair and Ruthie lo

unged on the couch. “What are you doing here?”

“I was looking for you,” he said. “Your dad gave my dad your address, I hope that’s okay.”

“I told him he could wait,” Ruthie said. “I knew your psych class was over at four.”

My suitemate had on a workout outfit, her red hair pulled back in a high ponytail. Full makeup covered her face and I didn’t know if she actually exercised that way or not. My eyes slid to the square Apple watch on her wrist. I hadn’t seen it before.

I turned to Noah. “What’s going on?”

His eyes darted uncomfortably to Ruthie and she took the hint, standing and making an excuse to leave. She programmed something in her watch, grabbed her headphones and walked out the door.

“My parents are coming up this weekend for the game. They have a standard tail-gate spot and I thought maybe you could join us.”

I mentally scanned my weekend. I didn’t have much planned. The guys were all involved in their own sporting activities—most off campus. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

He broke into a wide grin. “Great. I think this will be the perfect thing to get my dad off my back.”

“Maybe it will work for both of us.”

He relaxed into the chair, letting his legs take up most of the floor. “This dormitory is pretty nice. All girls?”

“Yeah. That was my dad’s idea.”

“I bet. So, yeah, I wanted to ask…are you dating anyone?”

Loaded question. I wrinkled my nose—surely a tell for lying. “Not seriously.”

“Good,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to make some guy mad that we’re hanging out.”

Try four, I wanted to say.

“Eh, what we’re doing is family obligation,” I said, not liking how it felt. Sure, I’d been truthful about Noah to the guys and I’d tell them about this weekend, but Hayden made one thing clear Saturday night. He wanted the world to know I was his. Theirs. I was blurring lines and didn’t like it.

“I’ve never tailgated before,” I said. “Should I bring anything?”