As we break apart for a second time, I rest my forehead against hers. We’re so close that her soft inhalations become my own and vice versa. It’s intoxicating.
“Are you going to sleep at my place tonight?”
As much as I want to...
I shake my head. “Not with the early morning practice Coach mandated.”
“Okay. Then maybe I should sleep here.” Her brows rise as hope dances in her eyes.
“Hell, no. Can you imagine your brother barging in on us by accident? I’m already worried about his reaction when I tell him what’s been going on, and that’s without a visual. If he catches us in the act, he’ll probably kill me on sight.”
She thrusts out her lower lip as her brows slant together. “I’d really hoped he would loosen up now that he’s with Sydney.”
“Oh, he’s loosened up all right. Just not where you’re concerned.” Before she can fire back with a response, I add, “You should probably get back to the party before he realizes you’re MIA. I’ll follow you out in a couple of minutes.”
Emotion churns on her face and I can tell she wants to argue. Instead, she rises onto the tips of her toes and gives me one last kiss before slipping out the door and into the hallway.
I pull out my phone and scroll through ESPN before deciding enough time has passed for me to exit the room unnoticed. As soon as I pull the door closed behind me and swing around, my feet grind to an awkward halt as I come face to face with Crosby. He’s leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. As soon as our gazes collide, one brow wings its way upward. The ever-present smirk is firmly in place and aimed right at me.
“Looks like someone’s trying to get his ass beat.”
“Yeah,” I growl, not in the mood for his shit, “and that someone is gonna be you.”
He snorts before straightening to his full height. “You know what they say about playing with fire, right?” There’s a pause. When I refuse to respond, he finishes, “Eventually, you’re gonna get burned.”
My shoulders collapse, because we both know it’s the truth. Sooner or later, I’m going to go up in flames.
“Yup.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Elle
Even though I’ve grabbed food here dozens of times over the last year and a half while at Western, I study the menu, trying to choose between a barbeque chicken wrap or lime cilantro chicken bowl with black beans and quinoa. I think Sierra’s uber healthy eating habits have rubbed off on me. How else would you explain the choices I’m contemplating? She’s been trying to get us to branch out and try new entrees. Baking is something she enjoys and helps her to destress. She likes to make nutritious snacks in the oven on the dorm floor. Sometimes, they’re shockingly delicious. Like roasted nuts with everything bagel seasoning. Other times, not so much—I’m talking about you, baked kale chips.
Deciding on a bowl, I step closer to the counter. The line is about six customers deep and I’m a little crunched for time. I’m hoping to order and wolf it down before making it to my next class.
“Do you have any idea how much I want to kiss you right now?” a deep voice says from behind me.
A shiver scampers down my spine as Carson’s warm breath feathers across the outer shell of my ear. It takes every ounce of self-control not to spin around and throw myself into his arms. But how can I do that when we’re in the middle of the union and there are a ton of students buzzing around?
The answer is that I can’t.
“Probably as much as I want to kiss you back,” I whisper, turning my head slightly to meet his gaze.
One side of his mouth quirks as he steps closer, until I’m able to feel the heat of his muscular body pressed against my backside. It sucks that we’re still hiding our relationship and forced to steal moments in the shadows. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.
I’m knocked from those thoughts when he says, “I was thinking after the game this weekend, we could get out of town for the night and away from everyone. Would you like that?”
Yes!
“That sounds amazing.” The idea of having Carson all to myself for even twenty-four short hours fills my heart with so much happiness that it feels like it’ll explode like an overinflated balloon. We could actually go out to dinner and hold hands, or even kiss.
In public.
All the little things normal couples do when they aren’t keeping their relationship on the downlow.
He grins. “We could drive like an hour or so away. Maybe a place like Cold—”
“What about the cabin?” Excitement threads its way through my voice. “I could ask Mom if we could go there. I’ll just tell her that the girls want to get away for the night. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”