Instead of answering, she nibbles at her lip and glances away. I can almost see the thoughts as they crash through her head. The push and pull. The tug-o-war taking place inside her as we speak. “I’m not sure how my dad would feel about this. It’s always been an unwritten rule that I stay away from his players.”
Coach.
He’s definitely an obstacle that will need to be dealt with in the near future. As much as I don’t want to get on his bad side, Demi is well worth the risk. The feelings I have for her aren’t going to change anytime soon.
“I don’t want people talking about me.” Doubt and sadness flicker in her dark eyes, giving them a hollowed-out appearance. As much as I can’t blame her, I hate that she’s focused on the bullshit that occurred this week.
“I don’t give a damn what anyone says,” I growl. “Let the fuckers talk. All that matters is you.”
Some of the confusion dissipates from her expression as her gaze softens. “I know it’s stupid, and I shouldn’t care, but I do. It’s happened so many times now.” Her brow furrows as she glances away. “And Justin...”
Fuck that guy.
I should have beat the piss out of him instead of popping him in the nose. Maybe then, he wouldn’t have run his mouth all over campus like a little bitch.
She’s waffling. I see it written clearly in her eyes. Demi is scared of the blowback she’ll receive when people find out we’re together. At some point, her father will discover the truth, and she’s afraid of what his reaction will be.
My chest constricts. “If you want to keep this on the downlow for the time being, then that’s what we’ll do.” The words sound wooden and taste like ash on my tongue. “Okay?”
More than anything, I want her to tell me that she doesn’t give a crap about the gossip or her father.
Her muscles loosen in relief. “You really don’t mind?”
Fuck yeah, I mind, but if that’s what she wants, then that’s what we’ll do. It sucks. I want to yell from the rooftops that Demi is mine. I don’t want other guys looking at her without the knowledge that there will be repercussions. And I want the jersey chasers to stop throwing themselves at me. I’m a taken man. There’s only one woman I want. Unfortunately, it looks like I’ll have to wait a little longer for her to claim me the way I need her to.
“Yeah,” I lie, “it’s fine.”
Now that the future has been settled, she relaxes, stretching her lithe body until she’s able to brush her lips against mine. “Thank you.”
Even though the situation is far from perfect, a sigh of contentment fills me.
Demi might not realize it yet, but there’s not much I wouldn’t do to make her happy or keep her safe.
26
Demi
“If we look at this outcome variable—”
Instead of paying attention to the textbook splayed open on the table, Rowan’s gaze is fixated on his fingers as they graze my inner thigh. A trail of goose flesh forms in their wake, and I have to stop myself from visibly shuddering. It would only encourage him to keep up his antics.
“Rowan,” I growl. Any moment I’m going to self-combust, and I can’t afford to fall apart in the library. We’re already drawing enough unwanted attention.
All right...Rowan is the one drawing all the attention. Half a dozen girls have already sauntered past, giving him little waves and bright smiles. He acknowledges them without encouraging their behavior.
Am I jealous?
Ha!
Maybe a teensy bit.
I’d like nothing better than to claim him publicly so these girls would back the hell off. But we agreed to keep our relationship quiet for the time being.
When Rowan flicks his eyes at me, I know that I’m in trouble. A smirk simmers across his lips, and I find myself gravitating toward him before snapping to attention with a scowl. Even in the middle of the library, he’s able to make me forget myself and the reason we’re here.
He cocks a brow and asks innocently, “Is there a problem?”
My attention becomes ensnared by his lips.
You have no idea what the man is capable of with that mouth.
So.
Much.
Pleasure.
It’s enough to make my eyes cross.
He wasn’t kidding when he said he loves to play south of the border. I’ll be completely honest...it’s not something I ever thought I’d enjoy. Of course, I’ve heard girls talk about it. But come on...it seems so intimate. To let someone touch you like that...
And now I can’t get enough of it.
I can’t get enough of Rowan.
Want to hear something crazy?
I’ve all but begged him to sleep with me, and he refuses. He keeps telling me that we need to wait. He wants me to be sure.
I am sure, dammit!
I want him.
Now!
All right, maybe not this second. Oh, who am I kidding? If he gave me even the slightest indication he was ready, I’d pack these books up so fast his head would spin. Jeez. I’m worse than a guy. I totally have sex on the brain. It takes effort to clear away those unruly thoughts and focus on the task at hand.