shower in a second.
Once I can feel my legs again.
Roman rolls onto his side, propping himself on an elbow to look at me. Our legs are still twined together, the shared heat of our bodies mingling between us. “Careful, Reckless. I might start to think you’re getting attached.”
My heart does that weird squeezing thing in my chest again as a combination of happiness and panic floods my body.
He wants me to get attached. He’s made it pretty damn clear he’d like more from me, but I just don’t know if I can do that. If I’m ready for it.
“And I think the endorphins are mushing up your brain,” I shoot back, grinning.
Roman huffs a laugh and leans forward to kiss me again. Then he looks over at the clock on the nightstand. “Pretty late.”
“Yeah.” I wrinkle my nose regretfully. “I better get going.”
All my stuff is unpacked in the guys’ dormitory room. What started off as a temporary solution when I was forcibly booted from my old dorm has turned into something a little more permanent, though it’s still definitely against the rules. According to the records in the admissions office, I still live with Alyssa, Megan, and Kendal, but I much prefer living with people who like me and don’t spread rumors about me for shits and giggles.
“Elliot.” Roman’s chiseled features soften as he cocks his head at me. “If you want to spend the night here, it’s not going to be the end of the world.”
I sit up. “Thanks, but I think I’m good.”
“You sure about that?” he asks, a bit of a teasing growl coming into his voice.
I shiver. Damn it. I hate how drawn I am to him, and how much I enjoy being around him. It could so easily become something more, and I’m starting to think maybe I’m a giant idiot for fighting this so hard.
But my reasons aren’t all stupid. For one thing, there’s the fact that I really don’t know a lot about certain parts of his life—for example, most of his history before he came to this school. I asked him about it once, and his answer was vague and short. I don’t even know if he has brothers and sisters, although I don’t think he does.
And for another thing, there are three other men I’m undeniably drawn to as well, and I’m still trying to navigate that whole situation.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure,” I reply, trying to keep my voice light and casual. Roman’s an amazing guy, and he’s put up with my emotional distance a lot better than most people would. I don’t want to be a jerk, as much as it often feels like being a jerk is all I’m good at.
His brows draw together. “It’s all right. I won’t push you, Elliot. I won’t ask for more than you can give. But you can trust me with the pieces you do give—you know that, right?”
Goddamn it. Unable to resist the pull of his cobalt gaze, I crawl back on top of him, straddling his hips as I rest my hands on his chest. His heartbeat is a steady thrum beneath my palms.
“Maybe it would help me open up more if you opened up more,” I murmur, raking my fingernails gently down his chest.
Yup. There it is. The shutters falling over his eyes, the wall going up. Takes one emotionally closed off loner to know one, mister.
But he surprises me by dipping his chin once. His jaw muscle jumps, but he holds my gaze steadily. “Okay. What do you want to know?”
Oh shit. I didn’t think he’d actually take me up on that. My mind races, trying to figure out the perfect question to ask. There’s so much I want to know, but I’m afraid if I poke too deep, he’ll rescind his offer. So I start with something that’s been on my mind more than I’d like to admit—a challenging question that still seems to fall into safer territory than family history or deepest, darkest secrets.
“You and Professor Tamlin—Josephine—used to date, right?”
His eyes narrow slightly, but he nods. “Yes.”
“Who broke up with whom?”
His chest rises and falls beneath my hands as he sighs deeply, and his own hands slide up my thighs, caressing the skin of my hips and waist. “I broke up with her.”
“What?”
My squawk is neither dignified nor sexy, but I’m fucking shocked. Tamlin is gorgeous, classy, smart, and always looks like she arrived straight off the catwalk. I can’t imagine any guy in the world