can eat every single part of you.” Her head falls back, resting against my chest, and her stomach growls. She covers her belly. “Worked up an appetite?”
“No. It’s just…I didn’t eat much at dinner.”
“Too nervous?” I tease.
If she were facing me, I bet I’d be granted with her flushed cheeks. “Yeah, I guess. Maybe a little.”
“Let’s clean you up, and I’ll feed you before sending you on your way.”
Her body tenses in my hold, and I know I must rein her in. “You can’t stay here forever, little bird.”
“I know.” Her voice becomes weak. I hate her change in mood. But I can’t give her what she wants. This…what we’re doing, it’s not forever. I can’t soothe her worrying mind because even though we just got started, there’s already a countdown clock to our end, ticking loudly. Sometime soon, it will go off, and this will be over. Life is just cruel that way.
I shower her, taking my time, washing her hair. I use my mouth to clean her cunt, and when we’re dry and redressed, I hand her a glass of scotch.
“I thought I wasn’t allowed to drink?”
“Only with me. If that changes, there will be consequences.” She nods and accepts the glass. We sit in silence as I pull out a cheese and meat board my chef left for me. I watch her sip the scotch as if it’s a delicacy, savoring in the smooth taste. I wouldn’t expect anything less with how exquisite Heath’s taste is. She takes a seat at my counter, at ease in my home. I shake my head in amusement. “What am I going to do with you?” I ask, more for myself. How did a forbidden flirtation end up with us here?
“What do you mean?” she asks, nibbling on a bite of cheese.
“You’re the last thing I expected. The one thing I shouldn’t have. The only thing I currently want.”
My comment pleases her. The way she bites her bottom lip into her mouth gives her away, and it does weird shit to me. I want to please her. Fuck, I want to do anything and everything to keep that rosy flush on her face.
“I’m glad you took a chance on me.”
My head tilts back and I shake with laughter. “I don’t think I had a choice, little bird. You’re very persuasive. A man can only take so much before he breaks.”
I bask in her smile and her rosy cheeks and baby blue eyes. I get lost in her mouth, watching her nibble on more cheese, and silently admit I enjoy having her in my home.
We continue with small conversation until time gets away from us.
“Shit, I gotta go. I have my roommate. And my dad, he’s gonna wake up soon.” She hops off my barstool, but I don’t make a move. If I touch her, I won’t trust myself to let her go. “Will I get to see you again while I’m home?”
My mood sours. I’ll be tied up all weekend with fucking work. “No,” is all I reply with. If I say any more, I’ll find myself explaining—and I don’t explain myself to anyone.
The disappointment in her eyes tears at my gut, but I keep a blank face. I drain my glass, needing distance. Needing time to figure out where my own damn head is at.
“Time to go,” I say, throwing dirt on the mood. I walk her to the door, refraining from kissing her. I know she wants me to, but it’s against my rules—the rules I’m not even following since I’ve already kissed those suckable lips more than I should have.
She doesn’t push the issue and leaves. As I watch her drive away, I think about how I can make this work long-term. All conclusions lead to me six feet under if it goes bad. It’s an impossible task without gutting my best friend. I’d end up in pieces at the bottom of a lake.
Hazel
I jog up the stairs, avoiding Professor Geller’s stare for showing up to his lecture ten minutes late. Evan’s waving hand catches my attention. I squeeze through the row for the seat he saved.
“Hey, beautiful. How’s it goin’? Didn’t see you yet, so thought I’d save you from front row hell. Professor Gellar spits.”
My nose scrunches. “Ew.” I sit down and jam my backpack under the seat.
“Yeah, imagine having to learn the hard way.” He smiles wide, his perfect white teeth on display. I know Evan and I had an awkward start to our friendship