Lover (Court University 4)

You’d made sure of that.

I sure had, avoiding and when we were together, tense. I’d been distant, a

nd he’d been letting me. My MO and his. He was going to let me pull the breaks but wouldn’t let me use him as an out. He shouldn’t. If things were going to end, I needed to end this.

I just didn’t want to.

A smile to Evie’s lips as she fingered a bloom. “I should have known you were seeing someone.” She sat back. “You’ve seemed happier lately, Brielle. Brighter.”

I had for a time. When Ramses and I had been in the thick of it. In the air of it. It’d been amazing, and I’d managed to botch it up.

I squeezed my arms. “Evie…”

I so wanted to tell her, tell her everything because she deserved to know. But the conversation moved on so quick, her talking about finals and everything. Her talking about our plans for the summer and things she’d heard.

“I hear you’re stepping back a bit to do research this summer.” She grinned. “To get an article published? That’s so great, Bri. What inspired you?”

That’d been Ramses, one hundred percent. In our recent distance, I got to truly get a good hard look at myself.

And I didn’t like the person I’d become.

I didn’t like that I shelled into myself, that I pushed people away. I wanted to love life again, to take chances like him. I’d never forget how he showed me his dream. That night we made love in his art gallery, he’d been completely vulnerable with me. He told me he was taking chances. Showed me that more than once. He showed that with me, even when I’d given him every reason not to do so. Ramses was letting himself live life.

He was letting himself love.

Feeling the magnitude of that, I studied the gift on my desk, and in my silence, Evie lifted her chin.

“I see,” she said, then squeezed my arm. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve this. With all you’ve experienced…” She shook her head. “You deserve it all.”

Words for the truth tugged at my lips again, but before I could voice them Evelyn got a call. She lifted her finger, saying one second and I waved her to take it.

Crossing her legs with a smile, she turned into her call, and to give her space, I fingered the roses again. My phone buzzed in my lap, too, but I got a text message.

Ramses: How long are you going to make me wait before mentioning my gift? I’m sweating bullets here *sweating emoji*

I couldn’t help it. I grinned and put so much power into it.

Me: I got it, but it wasn’t necessary.

He sent me a smile in response, and his next message pinged quickly.

Ramses: Where are you right now?

I eyed Evie, still on her call. Whoever it was on the line seriously made her smile and I did too.

Me: Actually, with your mom. In my office. Why?

Ramses: Can you make up an excuse to leave?

Me: I could. Why?

He merely shot a smile emoji my way, asking me to come outside to my car. I felt bad about ditching Evelyn, but it turned out she’d wanted to take her call privately anyway.

“New beginnings to us both,” she said, winking at me. She covered her phone. “Enjoy your day and your roses.”

She disappeared after that, and I wondered about her new beginnings. I hoped they were good. I hoped they were everything, and though I shouldn’t have hoped for my own, I did. I found them outside, his ankles crossed and leaning against my ride looking hotter than sin.

Ramses dressed for a spring run, shorts loose and displaying his powerful thighs, arms tight and hugged across his chest. His tee gave no room to bunch, butter smooth over his pecs and thick arms. Seeing me, he pushed off the tire. He never met me at school before but directed a hand to me like he had every day.