Dream Catcher (Woodland Creek)

“Hey yourself.” I looked at Warren and back at the shelf, finding the book I was looking for. Pulling it out quickly, I covered my chest protectively with it, holding on tight. This book was my lifeline or a dang brick as I almost sank down holding it.

“Reagan said I might find you here.”

Raising my shoulders awkwardly, I answered him, nerves clamoring in my belly. “Here I am.” Brushing off the swirls of anticipation, the quiet stretched between us when I felt a buzzing in the back pocket of my jeans. “Oh crap.” I tried grabbing the phone, but the book was unexpectedly heavy as I attempted to maneuver it to one arm.

“Maybe you should answer that?” He nodded in the general direction of my butt and my face flamed.

“Oh um?” Half turning, he left his perch from leaning against the shelf and pulled me forward into his arms. His hands brushed down my sides, resting on my hips and pulling me forward into his stance. Thick arms reached around me and I breathed in, smelling Warren. Woods. Pine. Musk. Man. I barely felt the fingers of his right hand hold my hip close to him in a pinching grip as his left hand reached to the pocket of my jeans. His blunt fingertips danced across the top band of my jeans, grazing the skin. Back and forth he touched me slowly, inching down. My eyes fluttered shut and my mouth opened to catch more air, flies, honey, I didn’t really know. The feel of his two fingers reaching between the folds of my jean pocket, pressing against my clothed ass to pull out my still buzzing phone almost finished me.

Weak in the knees, I looked up under heavy-lidded eyes to see Warren frown. I stared at my phone in his grip, the screen illuminated with Dillon’s name. “It’s him again.” He turned the buzzing off, resting the phone on a shelf eye level to me. His hands returned to my hips, squeezing. “How often does he call you?” Warren’s words were clipped but not unkind. Why does he want to know?

I pushed the lump in my throat down, answering, “A few times a week.” I kept hoping he’d stop altogether and give me the space I needed to figure things out and get through school.

“Slacker.” Pulling back to see his concerned expression, I was confused. I thought Warren would be more upset by Dillon’s persistent calls, but I hadn’t let him finish his thoughts out loud because he answered the question anyway. “If I had you, I’d be calling you every day.”

“Excessive, don’t you think?” The tart reply surprised even me and I was rewarded with his smile, genuinely grinning from ear to ear.

He leaned down and the next words brushed over my lips as we touched pillow soft yet firm. “Never, because I wouldn’t be stupid to let you go.” One breath later, we sought each other out. Tentative and hushed in the quiet library, nerves attacked me and I wondered if anyone could hear my beating heart. His arms fully wrapped around me and my breasts pressed against the book between us, and I wished it would disintegrate so I could grab onto Warren’s tall shoulders and pull myself closer to him.

A whimper emanated from my lips, followed by a rumbled growl deep in Warren’s chest. I licked my lips and felt his soft ones nipping mine. Gentle scrapes against puffy tissues and wet swipes of his tongue met and dueled. Losing touch with the feelings and thoughts connecting my head and heart, I let go of the book between us and it slid to the floor with a loud thud, opening up, half the pages scattering over the carpet.

“Shhhh!” the student librarian hissed from the front of the cavernous room and I tried to pull away.

“No, not done tasting you yet.” Warren pulled me in tighter, backing me up against a stack of books, hiding us from view. A brazen hand rested on my lower back, pressing me closer to rock hard muscles and a ridge of something else rising and pressing against my soft belly.

Free of the book, I grabbed a hold of him, pulling on his vest down to me, my own growl vibrating against his smile to kiss again. I couldn’t get enough, couldn’t get close enough to fulfill the aching want for him. He nipped at my lips, my cheek, and my neck before settling on the soft skin just under my ear lobe. He licked upward and bit over my stud earring.

“Warren.” Whispering, I needed him to slow down as heat rushed south with a flood of other unexpected feelings.

“Come out with me tonight.” He pecked at my lips in slow full kisses, tilting my head back.

“I…” His gray eyes seemed to pulse with intensity and I swore the flecks of gold shone brighter, the outer edges rimmed thickly in black.

“Please, Kerri.”

“I…” Why do I hesitate? I want this, don’t I?

“I’ll beg shamelessly for whatever scraps of attention you’ll give me.” He was firm but pleading with me and moved to kiss me senseless again.

“Warren.” I pressed an arm between us to hold him back a moment, my breath hitching and my heart racing to play catch-up with my mind.

Warren Boone just kissed the shit out of me.

“Say yes. I’ll make sure there’s a group to keep you safe.” Why would I need a group to keep me safe? Was he planning to lunge at me the second we left there?

“I have to write a paper for class.” A lame defense and I was crumbling down anyway.

His lips curved upward. “You’ve got hours until then.” Our breath mingled, panting, and I closed my eyes to keep away the dream of him touching my fresh.

“How can I concentrate when you, you…” Licking my lips, he kissed me to the point of heady weakness, legs unable to stand on their own.

“Good to know you feel the same way.” Fingers I was coming to love brushed my messy hair from my face, cupping my cheek, and playfully tugged on my earring. My breasts felt heavy and pressed flush against his chest as his other hand traced down from my hip to under my thigh, hiking it up against him.

“Pick me up?” He grabbed my leg higher and I felt his arousal thick between us. It was definitely too much, too soon, and I shook my head no.

“Of course I will pick you up.” Breathless, I went with it. What did I have to lose? I was there in Woodland Creek to get my education and maybe make it my long-term home; nothing good awaited me back in Ann Arbor. Let

ting my leg go to slide my core against his rough jeans, a moan squeaked out, followed by another harsh whisper to be quiet somewhere inside the library. God, if anyone saw me shamelessly clinging to Warren…