Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Jade’s mouth snapped shut and she beamed, raising her chin in a flirty way. “Hi. I’m Aspen’s roommate, Jade.”
“Jade. Hmmm. I likey.” He looked at Angeline. “Who are you?”
Angeline flushed all over and gripped her wine cooler with both hands. She used both hands to take a drink from it too. Then when she was done, she giggled.
Jade shook her head. “That’s Angeline. She’s one of our floormates. Her roommate is around here too.”
“Floormates.” Zeke clasped me tighter. “That’s right. You’re doing the dorm thing. Have you checked out Blaise’s apartment yet? It’s almost right next to the soccer complex. Our boy’s got it going this year.”
“What are you—” Jade’s eyes bounced from Zeke to me. “How do you know Aspen, and where are you staying?”
His grin turned proud. “We went to the same school, and I just got clearance. I’m here, like, here here. I’m rushing. My pops was a legacy, so they just moved me right in already.”
Angeline’s eyes got wider as Zeke spoke. Then she looked at me. “So cool,” she said, just before she drank the rest of her drink.
Jade had another ready to go before she could resort back to her default setting. Her laughter had been funny at first, then endearing. Now it was getting annoying.
Zeke grinned. “She’s funny. She could be a drinking game. Everyone do a shot when the girl starts giggling.”
That made Angeline snort into her wine cooler.
He turned to me. “So, we’re outside. Your boy’s in a mood, and I’m thinking it’s because he needs to get laid. What do you say? Come put him out of his misery?”
I closed my eyes. “Zeke.”
“Come on. I’m pushing your buttons. He told me the whole deal, but you’re here. He’s here. It’s time, little Monson.”
Jade and Angeline (now recovered from her snorting/giggling spell) were following all this with extra interest.
Zeke didn’t wait for a response. He led the way.
We fell in line, but it took a while. Zeke kept stopping to bump fists with guys, talk to people, get hugs from girls. It was like Fallen Crest. He was already the big man here. During one of those pauses, Jade leaned close to me. “You have a boyfriend?” She cursed. “Usually that’s the first thing girls ask each other. I’m kicking myself now. The first thing I asked was whiskey or rum?”
I laughed. “I love that you asked me that.” I took a breath, because she was giving me a pointed look. “And the answer is complicated.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Seriously, I want to hear all about this.”
Angeline pushed in from the other side. “I think Veronica is outside. I can hear her.”
We stepped onto the porch, and Veronica yelled, “Bitches!”
A guy yelled back, “Shut her up, Korchack.”
Zeke glanced over his shoulder and winked at me.
“Zeke, don’t make a big deal—”
Too late.
He hollered over Veronica, “Found someone for you, Blaisey boy.”
Then he stepped aside, and there was Blaise, standing in a group of guys, his arms over his chest as they talked. He’d been mid-conversation when Zeke spoke up. He turned and looked right at me. His eyes widened, he stopped talking, and a second later he was coming for me.
The hunger, the desperation, the yearning—I could see all of that on his face, and I told my butterflies and knots to take a hike.
The next second, Blaise had me in the air, and he was walking backwards, taking me far away from everyone else. I could hear Zeke laughing behind us.
“I’ll watch your girls for you, little Monson.”
Blaise’s mouth was on mine, and I ceased thinking.
Home. Home. Home.
I was home. I wanted to go to his home. Blaise was my home.
I chanted that in my head and wound my arms around his neck. People tried to say things to him, pat him on the arm. I could feel them, but Blaise ignored everyone. His mouth was on mine and then his hands were on my ass, urging my legs up. I wrapped them around his waist, and he dug in his pockets.
There was a smattering of laughter on the front lawn, and Blaise lifted his free hand. The laughter stopped, but one guy yelled after us, “Have fun, soccer star.”
“Who’s that?” I heard a girl ask.
When we reached Blaise’s Wagon, he groaned, lowering me to my feet. “Holy fuck.” He pressed me against the door. “Can we just—can we go to my place? I need to be inside you now, and we can do the talk afterward?”
I was shocked he was asking. “Hell yes.”
He peeled himself away from me and opened my door. He helped me in, darted to his side, and we drove a few blocks to an apartment building. He had underground parking. Nice.
Then we were in the elevator, and Blaise had me pressed against the wall, his mouth on mine. I stopped paying attention to our surroundings.