The Junior (College Years 3)

“You feel connected to me?” My voice squeaks and I clear my throat, mentally telling myself to get a grip.

“G, I’ve felt connected to you since the first night I met you. I saw you and it was like my brain said, ‘you want that one,’” he admits. “And I feel like I’ve been chasing after you ever since.”

“You could’ve had me,” I murmur. “Many times over, if you would’ve said the right thing or made the right move, you could’ve totally had me.”

“Really?” He sounds doubtful. “I always got the sense you would’ve beat my ass if I tried anything.”

I laugh, my entire body relaxing at the realization that we’re on the same page. “We’ve kissed a couple of times.”

“Reluctantly.”

“Never reluctantly,” I correct. “I always wanted it.”

“Really?”

He sounds genuinely shocked. I think I make the playboy feel insecure, which was never my intention. I decide to be even more honest with him.

“After the Fourth of July I thought, ‘If this boy has sex the way he kisses, then it’s going to be good.’”

He’s quiet for a while. So am I. So quiet, I start to second-guess admitting that. Admitting anything to Caleb feels like a risk, and I start to get nauseous the longer he doesn’t say anything.

It’s absolute torture.

“I’m trying to come up with something to say that doesn’t offend you,” he finally admits. “Because all kinds of inappropriate things are rolling through my head right now.”

“Like what?” My curiosity rises, of course. “I won’t get offended.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” I say swiftly, anticipation curling through me. I’m dying to hear what he has to say. I want to know.

Desperately.

Nineteen

Caleb

She’s blowing my mind with her confessions—especially because I feel the same exact way. And I’m terrified I’ll say something stupid and fuck it all up somehow. That’s how much she means to me, how much this entire moment means to me.

Normally I could give a shit. I’d just say what’s on my mind, consequences be damned. My big mouth has gotten me into plenty of trouble, yet it’s also snagged me some hot babes for a quick fuck.

But Gracie matters to me. She’s not some hot babe I want a quick fuck with. Though she is most definitely hot and just looking at her for a second too long gets my dick hard.

Yeah, that’s the crude side of me, and she appeals to it. As I’ve gotten to know her, I realize I value her as a friend too. I enjoy spending time with her. She makes me laugh. She makes me think. I want to help her. Taking her to the emergency room a couple of nights ago scared the shit out of me. I don’t want anything bad to happen to this girl.

I want to protect her at all costs.

“Don’t hold back,” she says. “Give me your worst. Lay it on me.”

I hesitate, annoyed with myself. I never hold back, but here I am. Afraid she’ll want to smack me or worse?

She’ll say never mind, and that’s the end of that.

“I think about having sex with you,” I admit, my voice so low I can barely hear myself. “A lot.”

“This doesn’t surprise me,” she says wryly and I feel like I have to defend myself.

“Not like how I did before, when we first met. And over the last couple of years. That was always about getting with you because you’re so hot, and I knew whatever happened between us would be explosive,” I say. “But now…?