at even legal?"
"Why don't you make a move on Chase?" I ignore her comment about Damon.
"I've been through that once, last semester. Not happening again.” After an awkward pause, she tucks herself into her bed, still fully dressed. "I'm too tired to change into my pajamas."
"Give another guy a shot."
"We'll see," she says vaguely.
"You do know you'll have to get out of bed and turn the light off, don't you?"
"But the switch is closer to you," she protests.
"Yeah, but I’m naked."
"Gross. I didn't want to be reminded of that." Grinning, she gets up and turns off the light. She falls asleep the second she returns to her bed, but I'm awake for a long time, replaying the events of tonight in my mind. I wish Damon had spent the night with me. Being in his arms felt so good, so right. I reach on the nightstand for my phone and look at the picture the waiter took of us. It brings a smile on my face and makes my ache for him so much harder to stand.
I text him on a whim. Are you asleep?
My phone pings almost immediately. No. I can't stop thinking about tonight. I swear my heart swoops out of my chest. Another ping. I wish I could have slept next to you.
Me, too, I type back quickly.
We need to find a sleeping arrangement where I can be with you. I try not to swoon too much and play it cool, but my toes curl all on their own.
Arrangement? You've just started working with my brother and already sound like him.
I already miss you, he texts back. We need to get any inconvenient roommates out of the way.
I allow myself to swoon just a little. Make sure Hazel doesn't hear you call her an inconvenient roommate. She might just let our entire dorm know how well "endowed" you are, and then all the sorority girls will want to jump you.
His reply comes right away. Don't worry, I'm all yours.
Now I allow myself to swoon all the way.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dani
When I get up on Saturday morning, I tiptoe out of bed, careful not to wake Hazel. I've learned from our countless sleepovers that she sleeps like a rabbit. One wrong move and she's up, and waking up Hazel before noon on a Saturday is a course of action to be avoided at all costs.
Peeking through the window at the blinding sunshine, I take the clothes I'm planning to wear in the living room and then head to the shower. Once I step in and let the warm water spray over me, I become aware of how sore my body is, especially between my legs. Damon's smell still lingers, but the overwhelming aroma of lemon from my shower gel washes it away. I'm visiting my parents and would rather keep my nocturnal activities a secret. I step out of the dorm in a flimsy dress and ballerinas, ready to soak in as much sun as possible on the way to my car, only to immediately start shuddering. Okay, total misjudge of the weather. The sun shines bright, so I can practically picture myself on the beach, feeling the grains of sand scratch my skin lightly, but a rush of cold wind prompts me to hurry to my car. I'll just throw something warmer on once I get to my parents’ house. I've left enough clothes there.
I get into my car, and as the engine roars to life, I inspect the parking lot through the rearview mirror, checking if the coast is clear to leave. It is, but that’s no surprise, given that the cars’ owners are probably sound asleep inside the dorms. Every car is empty.
Except one.
I wouldn’t have noticed it had an occupant, if he weren’t staring at me so insistently. I wince¸ as if someone just dropped an ice cube down my spine.
The person sitting behind the wheel is Gabe.
My body reacts before my brain has time to process what this means. In a haze, I drive out of the parking lot, my hands shaking on the wheel. My heart slams in my chest, a sudden heaviness descending upon the nape of my neck. The weight of fear keeps me from looking back up in the rearview mirror to check if Gabe is tailing me. Eventually, I do look up, and my stomach constricts with pain. He’s right behind me. I assess the situation as best as I can. My car is better than Gabe’s. This can give me an advantage in the speed department. I press the pedal, sinking in my seat as the car lunches forward with a vengeance. I head straight in the direction of the highway, but it’ll be a while before I reach it. Right now, I’m on a two-lane street, one lane for each direction. The only cars in sight are mine and Gabe’s. Empty shops and sleepy houses line up the road on both sides.
Gabe’s car roars from behind as he closes the distance between us. What’s his deal?
As he comes side by side with me, I realize what he wants: to drive me off the road. At this speed, a collision with anything would cause a lot of damage. I hit the gas pedal again, which is stupid and dangerous—I’ll lose control of the car before long. Right now, all I want is to get rid of Gabe. I put a few feet between us again, but as the speed indicator alerts me to my very precarious situation, I realize Gabe only needs to crash into my car lightly, and I wouldn’t just drive off the road—I would overturn.
Gabe’s about to catch up with me again when the sound of a police siren reaches my ears. Their car shows up a fraction of a second later in the distance, speeding toward us from the other direction.
I barely blink away from the police car, when I realize Gabe takes a sharp turn to the right, disappearing on one of the side streets.